Ideas & Debate

Ethics and innovation key to restoring trust in media

journalists

Journalists at a press conference in Nairobi. PHOTO | LUCY WANJIRU | NMG

Media consumption has changed significantly in the past two years globally, pushing media outlets to constantly to innovate to remain afloat.

Today, media performance is being influenced by several factors, including technology, media convergence and socio-economic and political dynamics. The Covid-19 pandemic made a bad situation worse.

Going digital has changed media consumption patterns, and, with superior interactivity, is providing audiences with much more control and wider choices in engaging with content.

But while the growth of the Internet has opened up more platforms for distribution of differing viewpoints, the fact is that mainstream media brands and services still dominate consumption patterns.

It is true that a majority of citizens not only rely on radio, television and newspapers for news and views but also look at the Internet as a progressively important source.

The findings of a media performance survey by the Media Council of Kenya in 2021 confirmed some of these global trends. The survey sought to establish the number of Kenyans using broadcast and print media and indicators on the usage of Internet, digital and social media.

It also aimed at gauging the level of trust in media and ascertaining the main sources of news for Kenyans. This survey will also guide the council’s programmatic interventions in promoting professionalism in the media.

Kenya has a vibrant media environment, hosting over 130 TV stations, 200 radio stations, 100 print publications and 200 online media platforms. From the survey, it is notable that broadcast media has remained in the lead, with radio leading TV for the last two years.

The survey presents a notable stability of print and broadcast audiences, where radio content is consumed by 74 per cent of Kenyans on a typical day, translating to approximately 21 million Kenyans who consume radio content. This proportion is like that recorded in the 2020 survey.

Additionally, the respondents interviewed and who consume print media translated to over seven million Kenyans who can get access to newspaper content, similar to the proportion recorded in the 2020 survey.

Pint media has continued to be the lowest despite being one of the oldest modes of communication. This calls for innovation and development of customer-centric and market-driven products that will guarantee wide readership as well as media sustainability.

What this says of the various audiences is that a more professional approach to the media is key in ensuring media viability and sustainability. A professional media that adheres to journalistic ethics coupled with innovation will always be assured of its audience base.

Two years ago, 48 percent of Kenyans exuded ‘a lot of trust’ in media. This fell to 35 percent in 2020 and is waning by the day.

The survey conducted in 2021 showed that only 23 percent of Kenyans have ‘a lot of trust’ in media — a 25 per cent drop. This is a worrying trend as the media is entrusted by the public to provide accurate information across all spheres.

Media audiences can be complicated especially with the advent of social media, which came with exigencies of misinformation and amplification of gossip previously restricted to grapevine columns of local newspapers.

Our media should innovate approaches that will aid in enhancing public trust in the media. The media should uphold ethical journalism and put the consumers’ interest first.

Concerns about the media remain though unchanged from previous surveys. Some of the issues mentioned include poor frequencies, limited coverage on matters affecting rural areas, and what the respondents felt was biased coverage especially of political nature.

Another lot felt some adverts were misleading while some content aired encouraged vices like gambling and school arsons. Then there were others who felt some content was inappropriate for the watershed periods.

This calls for enhanced adherence to journalistic ethics and programming codes that guide media operations in Kenya.