There
is no doubt that CNN and similar international media organisations has been lopsided in its coverage of Africa,
giving prominence to stories of hopelessness and desperation. Such
stories have consistently been devoid of perception or depth.
The extenutaion published, almost always is that there is not enough time and that there are too many stories in too many places around the world to be covered in the world news
segment. On my part, I have never felt that CNN needed to be more balanced than I did during the current civil unrest. It would not have taken much to offer a balanced view, all this needed was that Paula Newton, reporting from
Nairobi, interview and bring to the world stories from both sides of the
political divide.
The
election results showed an almost equal fraction of voters backed the two main candidates and in as much as CNN had a duty to interview the people who voted
Raila Odinga, those who feel he should be president, they have a duty to show the other side as well, the
other half who feel that President Kibaki should continue at State House.
The three stories I watched on CNN were a disgrace to
international reporting. The reporters only interviewed those opposed to peace, those eager and willing to perpetrate violence against communities deemed politically opposed to them. While this serves well the cliche of warring tribes and third world anarchy, it would have cost CNN nothing to show that there are many Kenyans who did support President Kibaki, or who are aggrieved at the election result but would rather seek recourse by less destructive means.
It is true that not all people in the opposition were killing their
neighbors, so even if the reporters had chosen not to interview those supporting president Kibaki, it is unlikely that all those they met were in support of the continued killings, looting and destruction that is overtaking the country.
The
international media claims to be taking international angles to stories
but all CNN did was to show Kenya as a desperate and hostile country, one to which visitors should not come. For the sensationalist media, or a first world viewer with ingrained ideas on Africa, 'Oh, here we go again,' this would make for compelling viewing, but it is an injustice on an increasing number of Kenyans who are looking to continue building on the economic progress Kenya has made in the last few years.
Understanding the local language is very important when reporting from foreign countries. For instance on Sunday January 8th 2008, there was on television an injured man and those carrying him said in Swahili "tunampeleka hospitali" (we are taking him to hospital?)
But the journalist's translation was that he had been asked "are you shot or cut?" with the response coming back that he was actually the victim of a shooting. It is unlikely that this was an innocent mistake, the journalist may simply not have cared what was true and what was not, and it is unlikely either that the world audience would have noticed, but using video like this to underline a story you are making up is dishonest reporting.
I have faith that Kenyans will soon be embracing each other, and that we will soon get back to the urgent yet more mundane tasks of kujitafutia riziki- putting food on the table. I
hope CNN will be around to cover that and not simply rush on to the next big
story.
By
the way, how comes CNN does not cover American soldiers or civilians
bleeding and writhing in pain, yet has no second thought for the dignity of the dead and dying from other countries?
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That's my view people