Bringing sense to the airwaves
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he timing of the morning shows is itself ill. As far
as I am concerned, morning should be dedicated to information. Read the
newspaper, check the diary, going to work and building the nation.
BY MUSYOKA NGUI
Listening
to local FM stations in the morning can be embarrassing to the family today.
One wonders why the presenters flout basic professional codes of conduct and
ethics. Then again where is the enforcer of the journalistic ethics? Is it a
toothless dog that only barks without biting?
On May 20 2014 the Media Council of Kenya (MCK)
released a report detailing the conduct of FM stations tilted Free Speech or
Cheap Talk? The report unearthed shocking revelations about our local radio
broadcasters.
Among other findings which the respondents voiced
complaints include blatant disregard of professional ethics, poor quality of moderation
by show hosts, inappropriate topical discussions and generally uncontrolled
interaction from callers.
54 per cent of the respondents admitted obscenity
existed because of uncontrolled interaction of callers. 58 per cent said that
the discussions were not constructive, developmental or serious enough to
inform policy issues in the society. 55 per cent of the respondents contend
that the shows were loaded with racial, religious and ethnic stereotypes and
were disrespectful of sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance and
social status.
40 per cent were not aware that they could lodge
complaints with the MCK touching on professionalism and ethics. The MCK is yet
to do enough civic education to sensitize Kenyans on its mandate.
Instructively, most commercial radio stations dwelled
on controversial topics bordering on emotions, sensationalism and borrowed heavily
from entertainment, lifestyle and relationships.
That the morning radio hosts condone obscenity to run
in their programmes shows the level of rot in our social moral fabric. Our
society is decomposing. We have justified cheating as cool and okay. We think
the only insane person in the traffic jam is the one who is following the
traffic rules. The morally upright youth are shunned for practicing sexual
purity. The result? High levels of corruption and sexually transmitted
diseases. A society without a conscience. We don’t feel guilty of our sins. We are
evil.
The rates of divorce are on the rise because the
casual cheating has crossed over to the bedroom. Family units are falling
apart, effectively demolishing the base of the Kenyan society. And morning radio
show hosts are to blame for a large part of this moral decadence.
We have become a nation of liars. We are fake. Our
religious leaders have not helped much. They occasionally get caught pants down
with the flock in very compromising positions. Remember the Embu case? Sure,
none of us is holier than thou but we should have a standard. In our case, anything
goes. That is our bane; mediocrity.
Constitutionally, no one should be discriminated but
the morning shows are loaded with innuendoes of segmenting our society
tribally, religiously and regionally. Is the media making us hate each other?
Is it time we scrap the morning shows?
The timing of the morning shows is itself ill. As far
as I am concerned, morning should be dedicated to information. Read the
newspaper, check the diary, go to work and build the nation. Then after hours
you can come home and have entertainment. Preferably, after 10pm the breakfast
type conversation can be unleashed to couples who at such time need intimate atmosphere
and light humor to wind down day’s stress and fatigue.
But tell me why on earth do the radio stations torment
little children and their shy parents with sex talk as they go to school and
work. How the hell are your previous night’s sexual escapades going to solve
the traffic snarl ups the kids and parents get caught up in the morning?
Mark you 61 per cent of the respondents told MCK that
the discussions influence listeners’ general perceptions and thinking. This
shows the media is very powerful-especially the radio which has thus far the highest
level of penetration in the society. The
radio broadcasters are abusing the power they wield.
The media should set agenda and inform discussions in
the society by giving accurate and reliable researched based information. But
when the callers and show hosts resort to trivial and non- issues we have
missed the point. The media lacks sense. Journalists of morning shows do not make sense
of the events that surround their work.
No wonder 78 per cent of the respondents believed that
the callers were paid to express sensational sentiments and whip up emotive
debates. Again, 48 per cent of the respondents said that some comments on talk
shows were unverified and false. This calls into question the credibility of
the FM radio stations. The fact that a paltry 24 per cent appreciated the discussion
on morning radio breakfast shows that the radio lacked sense and reliable
information to advice public and private policy issues. On that score, the traditional
role of the mass media to inform is dealt a death blow.
Despite hiring quacks who masquerade as comedians, the
radio managers have not managed to tickle the funny bone of the listener. Only
31 per cent of the respondents liked the radio humor. The unprofessional quacks not only degrade
the quality of radio journalism but also insult majority of Kenyan professional
journalists who enjoy respect in Africa and the world at large.
It is important that the practicing journalists read
and understand the professional codes of conduct for journalism and endeavor to
uphold high moral ground for the society. The Fourth Estate is the conscience
of the society. The mass media are light and the remaining moral compass of the
society.
The writer is a student of
Bachelors of Arts Degree in Communication and Media at Chuka University and an
attaché at Kenya News Agency Kitui Bureau. He blogs at musyokangui.blogspot.com
Email your thoughts to
musyokangui02@gmail.com