‘Journalists integral to development’

Wallace Ruzvidzo

Herald Reporter

Journalists are critical and integral to sustainable development, a Kenyan government official has said.

Speaking at the Africa Media Summit to commemorate World Press Freedom in Kenya yesterday, Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy Mr Eliud Owalo said the country was committed to protecting and safeguarding the media.

Zimbabwe was represented by Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Deputy Minister Kindness Paradza.

“Let me emphasize that in order for our societies to be safe, the custodians of information must first be safe.

“As the government of Kenya, we recognise journalists as critical integral players in the sustainable human development agenda,” he said.

“We are committed to our role as duty bearers in protection of freedom of the media.”

Mr Owalo said the media was getting more powerful by the day in the “post-truth age”.

“Reliable information is increasingly becoming difficult to find. Those who invented various social media platforms had every good intention to give our generation opportunities to interact and share knowledge and experience.

“Unfortunately, these platforms increasingly distinguish themselves for selling untruths, fake news and even blatant intentional falsehoods,” he said.

Mr Owalo urged the media fraternity to be open to criticism and take it positively when there are deviations from ethics and professionalism.

“Freedom of expression should not extend spreading hate speech, ethnic hatred and driving other divisive agenda.

“There is great national benefit if the media can forward matters of public interest that feed into the development agenda,” he said.

He said that the sustainability of the media fraternity was a primary concern hence there should be close collaboration between Governments and the media.

“Emerging challenges are leading to shrinkage in the industry. We are witnessing diminished print runs in the print media, and returns on investment on the one hand, and staff downsizing and retrenchment.

“It is difficult to reconcile our increased training and production of high level media professionals on the one hand and the diminishing employment opportunities on the other hand. How do we get out of here? Joint conversations between the Government and the media, including media owners, is of the essence,” he said.