Closing Of Baite TV. Over time concerns have been raised on the professionalism and the ethics of the media station. Although the station might be popular with the people and can also be classified as a populist media station they seem to have overlooked fundamental media ethics.

Over the last few years Baite TV has grown to be one of the most viewed TV stations in the Larger Meru region spanning all the way to Tharaka Nithi and Embu counties. The TV station has maintained some loyal die-hard fan base despite its unorthodox way of reporting.

Over time concerns have been raised on the professionalism and the ethics of the media station. Although the station might be popular with the people and can also be classified as a populist media station they seem to have overlooked fundamental media ethics.

In my analysis I find the following misconducts emanating from the media station.

1. Accuracy and fairness

It is no secret that the station is owned and run in close supervision by the Meru Women County Rep, Kawira Mwangaza. It is no crime to own and run a media house but it is crime to break the laws and ethics concerning journalism and reporting.

In the Code of Conduct for the Practice of Journalism as entrenched in the Second Schedule of the Media Act 2013 the act highlights that:

(1) A person subject to this Act shall write a fair, accurate and an unbiased story on matters of public interest.

(2)All sides of the story shall be reported, wherever possible.

(3)Comments shall be sought from anyone who is mentioned in an unfavorable context and evidence of such attempts to seek the comments shall be kept.

Overtime Kawira Mwangaza has always ensured that their personnel write unfair, inaccurate and biased stories of public interest. Baite TV has never criticized there owner or highlighted her in any unfavorable way. With their reporting it is evident that they rarely seek to report on both sides of the story. They have highlighted other leaders in negative ways but have never seemed to seek their comments.

2. Independence

The media acts states the following in regard to independence of reporting and journalists:

(1) Journalists shall defend the independence of all…. Refuse to allow the interests of ownership or management to influence news' judgment and content inappropriately.

In running a media house the management should not interfere with the editorial and reporting content of the journalists. In the case of Baite TV, Hon. Mwangaza and Murega have appeared as news hosts and have reported on their political enemies. The journalists are only allowed to cover and to report on the favorable aspects of the owner. Other views are not allowed in the station and the station is run with an iron fist.

In a democracy Like Kenya independent of the media is of utmost importance. We need free media to be able to call out on leaders and to report to the public accurately without any favor or fear.

It is a conflict of great interest when the owner of the media house is also the executive editor and the executive producer of reporting. The editorial authority should be left to the journalist and the editor who should not possess any interest in the reported story.

It is only in Authoritarian and Dictatorial governments that Independence of the media is suppressed.

Just basing on the two points we find that Baite TV has cases of gross misconduct in how they have conducted themselves. The personnel purporting to be journalists should be scrutinized to check their ethical conduct and where they have conflict of interest.

 “What is good for the goose is NOT good for the gander.”

The people of Meru might Love Baite Tv and encourage them in continuing their unorthodox ways of reporting. But looking at the bigger picture this would be very detrimental to our society. Imagine if a President owns a media house and they use it to suppress independence of the media. Would we ever know when there are corrupt happenings or miss-courage of justice? What about suppression of free speech and independent thinking It is no crime to own shares in a media house and run a business enterprise but it is considered a crime and immoral to control the media ethics and the journalism morality in reporting.

The people of Meru County should be able to ask who will hold Kawira Mwangaza into account when she is involved in questionable behavior. We live in a country of checks and balances as much as Baite has the right to broadcast the public have the right to ask questions and keep them in check.