Our attention has been drawn to the effort by the Nation Media Group to “stop corruption in media circles” by establishing an e-mail address to report corrupt photographers, reporters and editors. The group promises that “those who are found to have flouted our ethical principles will be dealt with firmly”.

While we support any and every effort to ensure the media is free from the shackles of corruption, we must raise a few issues about the new move by NMG, steeped as it is in the culture of impunity especially as regards to fair play in its very own newsrooms.

We are constrained to be the devil’s advocate and say that we suspect this to be another ruse, another avenue through which the powers-that-be at NMG can punish photographers, reporters and editors who don’t toe the line and who dare to question malpractices at the group.

We believe the biggest problem of corruption in the media lies with the top editors at this group and in all major newsrooms in the country. They are the gatekeepers, the people who receive, sometimes up to millions of shillings of unaccountable funds to ensure a story is either used, twisted or killed.

These are the same people who hire and fire editorial staff at will, without any recourse for aggrieved, hapless photographers, reporters and editors since they are discouraged or altogether barred from joining a trade union which can question wrongdoing and ensure they are properly remunerated. Needless to say, the bulk of so-called correspondents, who supply up to 70 per cent of content to the news group, take home peanuts that can make a Matatu conductor laugh.

Some of these people have presided over the same state of affairs that they are now trying to correct, for up to 20 years. Who will save a reporter, photographer or editor, who has just or recently joined the group, from the whims of such eternal, omnipotent bosses?

Who will form the prosecution, judge and jury of this “integrity watch” when all there is, is an anonymous email in the hands of a powerful top editor, claiming that so and so extorted so much so that a story could be used?

If this “integrity watch” idea is not hypocrisy, then tell us what is!

Eric Orina
Secretary General
Kenya Union of Journalists
P.O Box 47035-00100
Tel +254 721 397 167
Nairobi
Kenya