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Sunday Standard, June 1, 2003

The article by Chaacha Mwita published in the Sunday Standard of May 18, 2003 and entitled 'This new danger to society, and I mean the media' was like an ostrich finally realsing it was suffocating and with its head buried in the sand and sooner or later it would die if it didn't lift its head out of it.

From the Music programmes on TV to the filth in the streets in the name of freedom of expression to the staff on some of the radio stations, it is distressing to dizzying levels.

Reading Chaacha, I felt like running in the streets waving the article and shouting 'Eureka' for, indeed, at last someone had found the courage to face the rot head-on.

When did this rot and don't-care attitude set in the media? Do the TV station bosses watch their own stations? Do the radio station bosses listen to them? Do they have children? Do they have relatives who have children? Do they know that what you get is what you condition the youth to imitate?

Aren't they peturbed at the kinds of perversions being tried out (thanks to free-flowing porn) and allour young musicians performing while constantly fondling their crotches? Disaster! And it would be comic if it wasn't so tragically sad.

It was a first rate-rate week for the Standard and KTN who got the ball rolling on what really goes on at rugby matches with a beautiful peice on Monday, May 12, at 7.30. This was followed by another stinging note by Waithaka Waihenya in Face the Facts with a picture of a girl dressed in a manner that sums up the whole problem: Lost kids, no values! With these exposes, Kenyans have been forced to 'face the facts.' And they are not pretty.

Finally on Sunday, May 18, Chaacha Mwita closed the week beautifully with his commentary. This, in my opinion, is journalism at its best. A problem which people have been skirting was finally tackled head-on (which is usually the best way to tackle them) and I believe the pressure should be kept up.

The easiest way to start is for the media to clean their own house first. Then let all Kenyans of good will join in.

Tank God at last someone has realised that these children don't belong to the neighbours; they are ours and it is our responsibility to bring them up right.

David Ogot,
Freelance Journalist/Producer