This archive report was first published on 8 December 2019.
Published on December 8, 2019, a strongly worded editorial by Linus Kaikai about rogue preachers sparked a major outcry among church leaders. While many Kenyans agreed with Kaikai's analysis, several took exception to his language, terming it 'dirty, arrogant, highly disrespectful, derogatory and very provocative.'
Fast forward to the present, and Citizen TV's '10 over 10' show has become a focal point of criticism. The show, hosted by Willis Raburu, has been accused of parading indecently dressed youth dancing in sexually provocative styles to extremely dirty songs. Many viewers believe the show is an irresponsible exploitation of the innocence of young people still at a very impressionable age.
As a trusted friend in the media, Citizen TV has developed a strong footprint in many households. However, this friend seems to have taken off at a tangent and is now running amok. The deaf and dumb stance the management has taken towards complaints by the public has been especially surprising, given that at the helm of Royal Media Services is a highly respected media personality, Wachira Waruru.
Waruru, the Group Managing Director, is a true royal in the media industry. His election as chairman of the Media Owners Association in April 2018 was met with accolades and great hopes from across the board. However, by allowing his team to consistently provoke the very people they are supposed to serve, the gold on Waruru's crown could be fast losing lustre.
Corporate arrogance is a fatal flaw that can hit any organization, including Citizen TV. As Pete Loughlin observes, when businesses become successful, they face the danger of drifting into corporate arrogance – the wrong belief that complaining customers are mere irritants. It is time for Citizen TV to wake up to the cries of the citizens and reclaim its royal name.
