This archive report was first published on 8 July 2019.
The New York Times has admitted fault in a recent job posting for its Nairobi bureau chief, which sparked widespread criticism on social media.
The advert, posted on the NYT LinkedIn account on July 3, 2019, was heavily criticized by Kenyans on Twitter for its tone-deaf language.
International Editor Michael Slackman took to Twitter on July 7, 2019, to explain the situation, saying he 'deserved' all the flak the advert brought forth.
Slackman admitted that he took a shortcut by reusing an old job posting, which he gave a cursory look at before approving it.
He urged the public to judge NYT based on the quality of reporting of their correspondents across the continent rather than on the advert.
However, Kenyans online slammed the Editor's explanation, demanding an apology and calling the posting 'racist'.
Others questioned why NYT would not include in the advert that it was seeking someone able to dig out positive stories from the region.
NYT's job description read: 'Our Nairobi bureau chief has a tremendous opportunity to dive into news and enterprise across a wide range of countries...'
It added: 'The ideal candidate should enjoy jumping on news, be willing to cover conflict, and also be drawn to investigative stories.'
Slackman's apology came after KOT condemned the media outlet for allegedly seeking only negative stories from the region.
