Media practitioners question Government’s move to deny private media adverts
Media practitioners have threatened to sue the government if it does not rescind the decision to exclusively air its radio and TV advertisements on the national broadcaster.
Speaking at a press briefing on March 13, the team, which included the Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) and Kenya Editors Guild denounced the government’s move, terming it discriminatory and “short sighted”.
Editors Guild president Zubeida Koome maintained that the government’s decision amounts to favouritism and is “an act that undermines principles of leadership and integrity’.
The move comes a week after Broadcasting Principal Secretary Edward Kisiangani asked state officers to adhere to the new regulations.
“Why (is the government) obsessed to use extra-legal and undemocratic measures to control advertising procurement?” posed Koome.
She further highlighted the need for transparency and accountability in government operations while stressing the importance of ensuring citizens’ constitutional rights are upheld.
“Spirited attempts to apply resources without subjecting them to political actors define the latest chapter of senior editors’ struggle,” Koome stated.
Recently, the local media in Kenya faced another significant setback as the government announced the withdrawal of advertisements from privately-owned radio and television stations, stipulating all adverts must exclusively run on Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC).
This decision made a month after a similar action against print media, means that independent radio and television stations will no longer receive government revenue, except for The Star newspaper, which exclusively circulates the MyGov publication every Tuesday.
The move has caused an outcry within the Media Owners Association, the Kenya Editors Guild (KEG), the Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ), and other media associations, accusing President William Ruto’s government of unfairly targeting the already struggling media industry.
Under the new directive, all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of the national government, as well as independent commissions and public universities, are instructed to advertise exclusively through the state-owned broadcaster.
In a memo dated March 7, Kisiangani highlights that KBC’s extensive national network coverage ensures advertisers reach audiences nationwide.
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