FROM THE PUBLIC EDITOR'S DESK: Kudos for being impartial, says reader

In May, this year, the Public Editor’s Desk has received 89 messages from readers of three newspapers published by Mwananchi Communications Limited (MCL)—specifically on the way they perceive the outlets. The products are The Citizen, Mwananchi and MwanaSpoti. Going by the flow of messages, it looks like they were prompted by PE’s article in this column which was his presentation at the World Press Freedom Day in Mwanza on May 3.

But three messages are relevant here. One reads in part: “You are possibly coming of age. You are getting a little more reasonable. You are not taking sides in politics like we read it elsewhere. It earns you respect and possibly the market. Keep it up.”

The other message reads: “…you don’t have to blame it on anyone. You have decided to bury your heads in the sand like the ostrich… you are getting quieter and quieter everyday; I mean, we don’t see you on issues that are affecting the majority of citizens.

“We expected especially The Citizen and Mwananchi to come out in the bold and report without fear or favour on the deterioration of tolerance in Parliament and the clampdown on freedom of expression as related to the ban on public rallies…

“Your conspicuous absence in reporting compellingly and repeatedly, on hot issues of public concern—especially since the coming of the fifth phase government—does not augur well with media capacity building for citizens to be on their feet and demand their rights.”

The third message reads: “I am one of the past contributors of articles to The Citizen and Mwananchi. I have known the papers to be sober… and I know you are trying to walk the acrobatic tight rope or avoiding stumbling on the toes of powers that be.

“Yes, we still have harsh laws and others of similar severity in the pipeline; but you can still do more. Telling things as they are may help you to remain away from authority’s anger; but chewing information and news for the public to swallow easily; a duty you cannot run away from, could earn you guys the love you deserve.”

Of the 89 messages, nineteen are discussing “escapist media outlets” which they say put major issues aside only to deal with triviality. These, they say, remained friendly to authorities, accentuated the grip on media and facilitated suffocation of serious outlets. MCL products are not mentioned among the escapists.

Forty-four messages, in which I have selected the three for discussion here, are specifically about MCL products—attempt, success, and failure, freedom to gather information, publish and transmit.

Twenty-six messages mention MCL products very peripherally; discussing its ability as related to printing capacity, acquiring advertisements and distribution system.

If we were to go back to May, this year, we would discover that the centre of discussion rests on the freedom of media.

The public is concerned. Messages point out that there is “deterioration of tolerance in Parliament; the clampdown on freedom of expression as related to the ban on public rallies…” and the continued enrichment of shut-up legislation.

All these instill fear, more so when the symbol of electoral democracy—Parliament—is conspicuously weakened, deprived of its honour and getting closer to being the butt of jokes.

This is when opposition political parties are banned from holding public rallies and internal meetings—an act whose consequences do not augur well with a healthy political climate.

This is when there is constant reports of people being killed by unknown assailants and for unknown reasons; and massive plunder of national financial and natural resources – thanks to the ongoing unmasking of criminals.

Here is the greatest challenge of MCL products and an individual journalist. They need to expose the ills, produce well researched stories, do interpretation and analysis; and provide informed opinion.

And this is not an irony: The worse the situation—like it is now—the better the chances for a serious media house and, or journalist to excel in performance. Give them a chance.