{"id":12717,"date":"2024-03-14T07:03:31","date_gmt":"2024-03-14T07:03:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/index.php\/2024\/03\/14\/keg-led-caucus-faults-memo-restricting-govt-adverts-to-kbc\/"},"modified":"2024-03-14T07:03:31","modified_gmt":"2024-03-14T07:03:31","slug":"keg-led-caucus-faults-memo-restricting-govt-adverts-to-kbc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/keg-led-caucus-faults-memo-restricting-govt-adverts-to-kbc\/","title":{"rendered":"KEG-led caucus faults memo restricting govt adverts to KBC"},"content":{"rendered":"

NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 14 \u2014 Kenya Media Sector Working Group (KMSWG) member associations have faulted a memo restricting government advertising to the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) as an inexcusable breach and an affront to free press.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In a statement released on Wednesday, KMSWG voiced concern over what it termed as a sustained government onslaught on independent media over the past 15 months.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u00a0are concerned by the systematic undermining of media freedom, freedom of expression, and freedom to access information by Kenya government and its agents, in blatant subversion of the Constitution,\u201d KMSWG pointed out. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe have witnessed an assault on independent media in a manner never before witnessed since independence over the last 15 months,\u201d the caucus asserted.<\/p>\n

In a memo dated March 7, the government through Broadcasting Principal Secretary Edward Kisiangani ordered public entities to exclusively advertise on the State broadcaster.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn light of the foregoing, all public sector electronic (radio and television) advertisements from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that fall under the National Government, Independent Commissions and Public Universities shall be handled by the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) upon authorization by the Government Advertising Agency,\u201d Kisiangani directed.<\/p>\n

Led by the Kenya Editors Guild (KEG), Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ), and \u00a0Association of Media Women in Kenya\u00a0(AMWIK), KMSWG however termed the directive unconstitutional.<\/p>\n

State meddling <\/h2>\n

The associations called out Kisiangani\u2019s attempt to meddle in independent institutions and the government\u2019s \u201cfixation on controlling advertisement through undemocratic means\u201d.<\/p>\n

The caucus said the directive revealed the State\u2019s war on media freedom including attacks on senior editors, and media houses and \u201can attempt to limit political coverage and tying the hands and minds of professionals in KBC.\u201d<\/p>\n

KMSWG further warned that the directive would cripple media investment and called for prompt action to protect media freedom and democratic principles.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese directives are not merely misguided; they are a blatant assault on the very foundations of a free and democratic society,\u201d the caucus said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey violate the principles of media freedom enshrined in Kenya\u2019s Constitution, undermine free market principles, and create a hostile environment for media investment,\u201d KMSWG reiterated.<\/p>\n

The associations noted that the Constitution of Kenya guarantees freedom of the media as a fundamental right, yet the government\u2019s directive to funnel government advertising exclusively through KBC restricts the influence of independent media.<\/p>\n

\u201cKBC\u2019s editorial line has historically mirrored the government\u2019s position, leaving little room for critical perspectives or investigative journalism,\u201d KMSWG held.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis directive is a deliberate attempt to stifle dissenting voices, control the public narrative, and ultimately, weaken the democratic fabric of the nation,\u201d it noted.<\/p>\n

Self-sabotage <\/h2>\n

Noting a decline in traditional revenue streams due to the influx of digital media, KMSWG pointed out that government advertising is crucial to fostering media diversity and supporting quality journalism.<\/p>\n

KMSWG cautioned the government against self-sabotage holding that directing all the resources to KBC threatens independent media and stifles economic activity.<\/p>\n

\u201cA vibrant independent media landscape fosters a healthy business environment, attracting new investment and promoting economic growth,\u201d the caucus underscored.<\/p>\n

It also warned that State interference sends a worrying signal to investors, suggesting a departure from a free market model driven by merit and innovation.<\/p>\n

\u201cInvestors rely on a transparent and predictable business environment to make informed decisions. This government action undermines that very foundation,\u201d KMSWG noted.<\/p>\n

\u201cForeign investors, in particular, may view Kenya\u2019s media landscape as risky and unstable, deterring much-needed investment that could fuel the growth of the sector and the economy as a whole,\u201d the caucus stated.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 14 \u2014 Kenya Media Sector Working Group (KMSWG) member associations have faulted a memo restricting government advertising to the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) as an inexcusable breach and an affront to free press. In a statement released on Wednesday, KMSWG voiced concern over what it termed as a sustained government onslaught on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12717","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","entry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12717","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12717"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12717\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12717"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12717"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12717"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}