NMG is fairer, more balanced and responsible but can do more

When I was appointed Nation Media Group’s public editor, my first “Notebook” article, on February 19, 2015, was about media misrepresentation of Muslims and Islam, especially in reporting terrorism.

Occupying twice the normal space, it urged NMG editors to be more sensitive when describing terrorists and framing issues about the war on terror.

Today, NMG is fairer, more balanced and more responsible in reporting race, religion and communities, says Kisumu-based medic Bashir Ahmed. I can’t agree more.

Dr Ahmed is concerned about what he calls misinformation and misleading reporting of minorities and Muslims in northeastern Kenya, saying NMG is quick to pick and follow “any negative stories” coming out of there and, “unsurprisingly, tends to ignore positive stories” about communities in that region.

“The language NMG used in the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s was even more shocking. Entire communities were described as ‘crooks’,” he said. Descriptive phrases like “Somali-looking” were common in terror stories.

AL-SHABAAB
The reader, who chose to write in “because I believe there is more accountability (at NMG) compared to other media houses”, takes issue with an October 22, 2017 Daily Nation story, Linda Nchi: Mogadishu terror attack is a reality check.

In it, writer Oscar Obonyo says: “There is a chilling joke in the Somali capital of Mogadishu that a Kenyan head fetches $3,000 (about Sh300,000).” This is false, says Dr Ahmed.

“Perhaps the writer can’t comprehend the difference between Al-Shabaab and ordinary Somalis. Or he’s using the above paragraph to deliberately confuse the general public that all Somalis are kidnappers.

At best, this paragraph is misinformation intended to create disharmony, hate and suspicion among the citizens of the two nations.

“Both Kenya and Somalia have suffered terrible casualties at the hands of terror group Al-Shabaab.

"There are no ordinary civilians roaming the streets of the Somali capital with the sole intention of harming or kidnapping innocent Kenyans who came to help to rebuild a country recovering from 30 years of civil strife. Majority of ordinary Somalis believe Kenya is a brotherly neighbour.

“It will be nice to remind the writer that journalism comes with responsibility and fairness. NMG should not allow misleading and ambiguous information to be distributed in their respected platform.”

HATE
Dr Ahmed also cites another story, Anti-radicalisation campaign in Isiolo bearing fruits, published on April 17, 2017, noting: “This is really good news. It is our prayer that terror groups are eliminated.”

He, however, does not like this paragraph: “Last year, five young men from Isiolo were arrested at the border while on their way to join the Somali-based Islamist group.”

He says it is incorrect to talk of “Somali-based Islamist group”; it is “Somalia-based Islamist group”. There is a big difference between the two, he says.

On a February 19, 2017 commentary in the Sunday Nation — Junet Mohamed should be told there is nothing special in being Cushitic — Dr Ahmed had accused Gitau Warigi of writing an article that was “full of hate” for the Somali community.

“You are attacking Junet but, instead of responding to him, you attack and belittle an entire community,” he said.

Mr Warigi explained that it was not his intention to attack Somalis.

RACISM
Dr Ahmed now says it’s time NMG hired “independent experts” to examine how it reports minorities and Muslims in northeastern Kenya.

He was, probably, inspired by National Geographic, which devotes its April 2018 issue on how it covered the world through racist lens based on a study by a professor of history.

That would be an interesting academic study but NMG has come a long way.

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