This archive report was first published on 25 June 2020.
On June 25, 2020, the Daily Nation's editorial policy was put to the test in a series of articles published in Smart Company, a weekly business magazine.
According to the policy, the right of reply is a fundamental principle of journalism that allows individuals or companies to respond to negative coverage and correct any inaccuracies.
However, in the case of two articles published on June 9 and 16, 2020, it appears that the right of reply was used to sanitize the news rather than correct the facts.
The first article, 'Off-plan home buying loses appeal among many Kenyans', was an exposé that portrayed housing developer Mahiga Homes as a scam.
The second article, 'How real estate firm is navigating Covid-19 crisis', was a positive write-up that portrayed Mahiga Homes as a good business.
Anderson Maina, a reader, pointed out the contradiction between the two articles, asking what had changed in a week and whether the publication had been careful with its reporting.
Smart Company editor David Abuna did not respond to questions about the discrepancy, and the article by James Kariuki, which was intended as a right of reply, read like a new story rather than a response to the exposé.
This raises questions about the integrity of the publication and its commitment to fairness and accuracy.
As the NMG editorial policy states, the primary responsibility of the media is to its readers, and it is the duty of journalists to provide accurate and unbiased information.
By providing the right of reply, journalists can help to defuse potential conflicts and encourage debate and engagement with readers.
However, this right must not be used to sanitize the news or present a biased view of the facts.
It is the duty of journalists to stand up for the truth and the interests of their readers, even if it means publishing uncomfortable or unpopular information.
