|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
By Victoria Musimbi
Nairobi, Kenya: Kenya’s media industry is being encouraged to invest in skills, newsroom preparedness and collaboration to strengthen its ability to serve the public during periods of heightened political activity and a rapidly changing information environment.
The call came during the opening of the Kenya Editors Guild’s 9th Annual Editors Convention at the Sarova Stanley Hotel in Nairobi. Themed “Navigating the Storm: Media Resilience on the Road to 2027,” the convention will bring together editors, journalists, media organisations, regulators, government, the private sector, civil society and other stakeholders to examine the pressures and opportunities facing journalism.
The event highlighted the need for the industry to prepare early by equipping journalists with relevant skills, strengthening newsroom systems and promoting responsible use of emerging technologies. Participants also stressed the importance of protecting journalists, maintaining editorial independence and sustaining public trust as the media prepares to cover an increasingly demanding political and information environment.
Building Skills Before The Pressure Intensifies
Christine Nguku, Assistant Director in charge of Training and Curriculum Development at the Media Council of Kenya and a member of the Kenya Editors Guild, congratulated the Guild on its ninth anniversary and commended its role in creating opportunities for media practitioners to learn, grow and benefit from peer mentorship.
She encouraged journalists and editors to use the convention to reflect on their responsibilities, particularly when covering political leaders and their promises to citizens.
“The media has a major role in holding leaders to account, analysing what candidates are promising citizens and examining their track records. Editors and journalists will be able to inform the public while remaining accurate, accountable, independent and objective.”
Nguku said the industry has a responsibility to support a peaceful and objective electoral process while ensuring that those seeking leadership are subjected to public scrutiny.
“The Media Council of Kenya is committed to supporting the convention. We will also conduct a pre-convention training on election preparedness in Mombasa for journalists based in the region. Count on us; we will work with you all the way.”
Preparing Every Level Of The Newsroom
Kenya Editors Guild President Zubeidah Kananu said preparation should extend across the newsroom, ensuring that journalists have the skills and support needed to produce credible public-interest journalism.
“The Convention may be called the Annual Editors Convention, but strengthening journalism requires investment across the newsroom. And as we head towards 2027, the quality and credibility of our election coverage will depend on how prepared we are — from the reporter in the field to the editor making the final editorial decisions,” Kananu said.
She said political pressure, safety concerns, questions around independence and public trust could place additional demands on journalists, while artificial intelligence could make mis- and disinformation more sophisticated.
“Journalists will face pressure from different quarters, while questions around safety, independence, public trust and media sustainability will become even more important,” she said.
Kananu urged news organisations to invest in the capacity to identify and counter misinformation and disinformation, while using emerging technologies responsibly.
She also called for greater attention to the safety of journalists and emphasised the need to keep reporting anchored in truth and the public interest.
“Our responsibility is not simply to survive the storm. We must be prepared to navigate it,” she said.
For Kananu, maintaining credibility will be particularly important when political debate becomes intense, as citizens will need reliable information to understand issues and scrutinise those seeking public office.
“Because when the political noise becomes loud, the public must still be able to turn to the media and find credible information,” Kananu said.
She also emphasised collaboration within the media fraternity, saying journalists and media organisations need to stand together in defence of media freedom, access to information and editorial independence.
“As we look ahead to the 2027 General Election, our unity as a media fraternity will matter more than ever,” she said.
She said protecting these principles is essential to ensuring that journalists can perform their public-interest role without fear or undue restriction.
“An election cannot be truly credible when journalists are afraid to ask questions, when information is withheld, or when the media space is deliberately constrained,” she said.
Kananu encouraged editors, reporters and other stakeholders to use the convention to have candid conversations, learn from one another and build relationships that can strengthen the profession.
“The journey starts today,” she said.
Adding “Let us prepare our newsrooms. Let us protect the credibility we have worked so hard to build. And as we head towards 2027, let us ensure that whatever storms come our way, Kenya’s media remains resilient, independent and unwavering in its responsibility to the public.”
