It is readers who mostly help to keep editors and reporters accountable. They identify most of the errors made in print and broadcast platforms and request a correction.
They help to put the Nation Media Group in a position where it can and often does, redeem its credibility.
Never before in the history of the Nation has there been such robust and free reader criticism of what journalists report and how they do it as now. The creation seven years ago of the position of a public editor, the readers’ representative, has facilitated reader participation in the journalism process.
We also live in a digital media era, when the reader—and hence, content—is king. Readers have become the cornerstone of the new media economy. What they want cannot be ignored. They dictate content, even though good journalism is not only what readers want but also what they need.
In this end-of-the-year article, I pay tribute to those readers who help to keep our journalists on their toes by criticising their conduct and performance. The reader critics are legion but I will pick, at random, four of them to illustrate how they help keep journalists and writers on their guard.
Michael Hatego, of Busia, is the quintessential reader critic—tough, untiring, fearless but civil. He takes on any writer or issue he feels needs correction and copies anyone he thinks should be in the loop. I still recall the day one of the renowned Sunday Nation columnists snapped: “Please STOP copying me. Get a life!”
In his latest message, written the day after Christmas, Mr Hatego wishes us a successful 2023: “I apologise for inundating you personally and those I unsolicited (sic) copied throughout the year my opinions, thoughts and biases. Shut me off if I irritate you… I write to you, and copy to some others because the editors do some terrible job!”
Githuku Mungai, a Nairobi-based accountant, is another over-polite but persistent reader critic who catches errors of fact and grammar. He has a softly-softly approach and often sweetens his criticisms with personalised episodes.
“That was a good read today in the Nation,” he wrote to columnist Jaindi Kisero, who had referred to the last holder of the defunct Office of the Price Controller of Kenya as Sara Wainaina. “Just a slight thing: The former Price Controller’s first name is Serah, not Sara. Serah Wainaina. She comes from Karura ka Nyungu and her family immediately borders my maternal uncle’s home. She has in the past spoken in functions at my uncle’s home. One time she said the pension the old civil servants get cannot buy mandazi.”
Ayman Abusufian, the Head of Media, at Jamia Mosque, Nairobi, is in a class of his own as a reader critic. I published my first—and longest-ever—article as the public editor in this column which was partly inspired by his criticism of the way the Nation handled news stories touching on Islam and Muslims. The article was titled “Media misrepresentation of Muslims and Islam: Who takes the blame?” (Daily Nation, February 19, 2015).
Since then, Mr Abusufian has been writing to set the record straight whenever the Nation publishes a news story that is deemed to be capable of promoting Islamophobia.
One-off criticism
Lastly, Patrick Mukhongo is typical of readers who usually write a one-off criticism of something that particularly galls them. Often, they write directly to the offending journalist or writer. “I have oftentimes been lost for words,” Mr Mukhongo wrote directly to a columnist. “Your articles are always expressed in an abrasive and uncouth language that leaves me wondering if at all the articles are ever reviewed by editors!
“You have made it your stock in trade to use expletives in your articles, and not even your editors are keen to moderate you. In yesterday’s article, you used words like stupid, fools, foolish, silly, hogwash, illogical, et cetera.”
No prize for guessing who the columnist is.
The reader critics include not only ordinary readers but also professionals such as academics, advocates and even other journalists. They are not always right in their criticisms but the important thing is that they can complain and have their views ventilated. That helps to keep NMG journalists on the hook.
Give us more insightful stories
I feel that the headline story “Dorcas, Rachel’s 60 marathon prayers” (Sunday Nation, December 25, 2022) was unnecessary and portrays a lack of creativity on the part of the writer.
Many Kenyans attend daily prayer meetings and have been doing so even before William Ruto became president. There is nothing special about First Lady Rachel Ruto and Deputy President’s wife Dorcas Rigathi attending 60 or even more prayer meetings.
It is likely that the two ladies attend daily prayer meetings as well, only that most of them are not made public. Give me more thought-provoking stories and analyses and don’t be the national broadcaster KBC of the past, which used to air all church services President Moi attended.
Follow through court cases
It appears the Press loses track of some court cases. For example, in July last year, the Nation reported that five men arrested for breaking into a building to rob Prime Bank Kamukunji branch were arraigned before Milimani Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku (“Five suspects charged over Prime Bank robbery attempt”— Daily Nation, July 5, 2021). However, no more stories were published to tell what happened to the case…
Writing about employees who might be struggling with over-reliance on alcohol, Jane Muiruri wrote: “Most organisations have retained the services of a counsellor to provide employees with an alternative person to speak to, other than the supervisors and HR. Even then, they must be assured of confidentiality so that they can be vulnerable (sic) and get well.” (“Ask HR: How do I help this colleague who seems to be addicted to alcohol?” — Daily Nation, December 23, 2022).
The first sentence needs subject-verb agreement. But more importantly, the “vulnerable” in the second one seems to be in the wrong place.
— Githuku Mungai, Nairobi
Compiler ignored General China
In “History Today” (Sunday Nation, December 18, 2022), President Jomo Kenyatta is receiving a donation from Japanese representatives developing sericulture with the National Youth Service. The compiler should have pointed out that Waruhiu Itote aka General China, the deputy director of NYS (pictured), presented the donation.
The Public Editor is an independent news ombudsman who handles readers’ complaints on editorial matters including accuracy and journalistic standards. Email: [email protected] Call or text 0721989264.
