Kisii Central Deputy County Commissioner (DCC), Joseph Mwangi has encouraged journalists to work hand-in-hand with the government in amplifying development initiatives.
Speaking during the World Press Freedom Day at the Kisii regional forum organised by the Kenya Correspondents Association (KCA) in partnership with UNESCO, Mwangi decried the decline of coverage of development issues by media houses.
“Media houses need to strike a balance in their coverage of news because at the moment, 80 percent of news content is about politics while development is given a mere 5 to 10 percent,” he said.
The DCC urged the journalists to attend barazas so that they can highlight issues of public interest that require the attention of the leaders.
In addition, Mwangi pointed out that members of the fourth estate have the responsibility of informing the community members on the government initiatives that had been rolled out at the grassroots level.
Further, he encouraged the media houses to invite experts to talk about emerging trends in matters of agriculture, health and technology among others during talk shows.
The DCC also assured the journalists of their safety while conducting their work and cautioned them to stay safe while covering hostile grounds.
The event brought together rural-based journalists, civil society organisations (CSOs), the clergy and representatives from the county and national governments.
The CSOs’ representative Ronald Gisore noted the media plays a key role in amplifying the voices of grassroots organisations.
Mr. Gisore called for continuous collaboration between the scribes and CSOs in championing advocacy on a number of issues and policies that protect the rights of the vulnerable populations.
“As CSOs, we recognize the role of the media in promoting social accountability especially when they highlight how public resources are utilized,” he noted.
Additionally, Gisore urged the journalists to focus on covering positive human interest stories that can bring change to the community members.
The Kenya Correspondents Association (KCA) Chairman Araka Matara pointed out the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in media saying it can improve efficiency in newsrooms by assisting journalists to report information in a timely manner.
He called upon the media owners to train journalists on the AI tools that can enhance their work.
Mr. Matara also urged the Media Council of Kenya to incorporate the guidelines on using AI in journalism in the existing code of conduct to curb the misuse of AI for fake news and misinformation.
The forum discussed a number of issues including the impact of artificial intelligence on press freedom and the media, mental wellness of journalists, the shrinking civic space and the role of the media in socio-economic development.
By Mercy Osongo and Ilhan Ismail
