This archive report was first published on 19 August 2021.
As Kenya prepares for the 2022 General Election, stakeholders are emphasizing the need for media reforms to strengthen media freedom and independence. One key aspect of these reforms is the establishment of public editors, which can help media outlets handle complaints and concerns in a civil manner.
Public editors are a proven way to promote accountability and professionalism in the media. By allowing the public to walk the journey of decision-making in the news gathering process, public editors can improve the credibility and trust in the media. In Kenya, media outlets such as The Daily Nation, The Star, and The Standard have established public editors with some measure of success.
Experience from the Complaints Commission at the Media Council of Kenya shows that many complaints against the media are not about monetary compensation, but rather about professional misconduct. In fact, many cases are resolved through mediation, as once the complainants get to talk to the editors and reporters about a particular story, they tend to get satisfied. This highlights the importance of having functioning public editors, where the public can complain and cool off their anger.
Establishing public editors is not unique to Kenya, as many major media outlets globally have strong ombudsmen or public editors. These institutions have proved critical in promoting media accountability and professionalism. In Kenya, the debate is moving away from media self-regulation, which has been working well in the professionalization of journalism, to demanding more stringent laws and administrative control mechanisms.
As we talk about media reforms, it's essential that we allow systems that can handle disputes and concerns about professional misconduct internally and in a civil way. This is where public editors come in, providing a platform for the public to express their concerns and for the media to respond and educate the public on how media operates.
The establishment of internal complaints handling mechanisms through public editors will go hand in hand with training to develop the capacity of media personnel to pursue public interest agendas in an informed, professional, and responsible manner.
Kenya uses the co-regulation model in its regulation of the industry and profession through the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) as the national statutory self-regulatory institution. Co-regulation is known to be appropriate for markets that have attained maturity and have established self-regulating mechanisms.
The Writer is the Director of Media Training and Development at the Media Council of Kenya ([email protected])
