The Media Council of Kenya has urged journalists to observe professional conduct when approaching sources for information to enhance their reporting.
The Council on Wednesday met with journalists in Kakamega county on a fact-finding mission following recent complaints of an alleged death threat to a journalist by a public officer.
MCK Director for Media Training and Development Victor Bwire called for caution on the side of journalists when dealing with information holders, saying it will guard against unnecessary conflicts.
“While some officers sometimes do not comply with the obligation to disclose information, journalists sometimes get denied information due to the approaches they employ in seeking it,” Bwire said.
He advised the journalists to consider certain factors when seeking sources to comment on stories.
“It is in the interest of journalists to remain professional when seeking comments. At the same time, you also need to be aware of the constraints that come with it. Some of the limiting factors could be associated with availability, legal limitation, official protocol and life pressures,” he emphasised.
Bwire also reiterated the need for county governments to train public officers in media relations, saying that this will help them understand and engage with the media effectively.
MCK Manager for Press Freedom Safety and Advocacy, Dinnah Ondari, urged journalists and news sources to respect each other’s rights and obligations when it comes to content gathering.
"In any relationship, there has to be a balance of give and take. Failure to respect rights and obligations always brings problems,” she said.
“As the regulator, the Council always verifies cases of press freedom violations before undertaking any interventions. It is therefore essential to always respect each other's rights so that interventions address gaps and violations where these rights have been violated."
While responding to complaints about public officers’ non-compliance with the Access to Information Act, Ondari implored journalists to report cases where they are denied access to information.
"Whenever a source refuses to provide information within the stipulated timeframe, journalists have the right to report the matter to the Commission on Administrative Justice, the body mandated to oversee and enforce the implementation of the Access to Information Act, 2016”, she said.
