Investigative Stories by NTV and Citizen: An Analysis

INVESTIGATIVE STORIES BY NTV AND CITIZEN: An Analysis

From the Media Monitoring and Research Desk

1. Introduction

Media continues to play a critical role in exposing the social evils in the society and more so the injustices that minors face. This report assesses the quality of coverage on television investigative stories by NTV and CTV on 24th March 2019 and proposes possible conclusions.

1. “Preying Missionaries” by Edwin Nyabola, NTV

On 24^th March 2019, after the 9 o’clock news, NTV aired an all-inclusive report of Dow Children`s Home located in Boito location, Bomet County. In this coverage, ethical journalistic guidelines were applied where the reporter Edmond Nyabola explicitly featured rightful sources who provided viable information hence making the reportage balanced and objective. Firstly, the reporter has featured one of the minors who narrates the ordeals Gregory Dow and Mary Rose the owners of the children`s home exposes the children to.

The former manager Mr. Davis Bett who provides first-hand information of the suspicious sexual assaults cases has also been featured. Other sources featured in the reportage include the area chief, officers from the Ministry of Labour and child protection of Bomet County and some of the affected family members of the deceased children. The producers also made efforts to reach out to sources in the US.

Further still, the documentary has concealed the identity of the sources hence application of article (19) of the journalism guidelines which stipulates that identity of children involved in sexual offences shall be concealed. Additionally, the report has as well not exposed any name that has been mentioned by the victims.

Highlight:

The story on Dow`s Children`s home was balanced and there was diversification of credible sources.

2. Prison Diaries by Lulu Hassan, Citizen TV

1. Daughter framing father: This was aired on March 17, 2019 at 9:29pm.

Key highlights:

The journalist provides more time to the victim to share his views on the nature of the case where he states the presiding judge informed him that DNA test costs were too high, at kshs 60,000. Based on this sole reason the judge prevents the accused from this crucial procedure which could, perhaps have exonerated him. Unfortunately, the journalist doesn’t delve into this issue raising more questions as to journalist’s level of awareness on individuals and organizations who can comment on the issues of DNA and criminal justice in general. Or is this just deliberate?

• The journalist gives a casual call to the daughter, who is the complainant on the case against her father serving life imprisonment. She arrives and is immediately offered time to comment on the case giving an account of what happened. There is seemingly a level of coaching rather the mixing of the clip leads our analysis to that conclusion.
• Besides, a number of questions can be raised on the quality of reporting especially whether it meets that threshold of investigative reporting or advocacy journalism. Although the girls exhibit some emotional behavior, it is not sufficient to qualify reconciliatory story as the girl portrayed her mother in negative content and who wasn’t featured or whose voice is missing in the story. The narrator does not inform us whether she tried to contact her either.

1. Remorseful Inmate Seeks Forgiveness: This was aired on March 24, 2019 at 9:40pm.

 Key Highlights:

• The story seeks to reconcile a man serving life imprisonment after killing his father.
• The journalists intentionally ask the man his person of interest compelling him to mention his sister who was later traced to her rural home.
• The man gives account of what transpired before he killed father and it is clear the father wasn’t the target but his brother who never featured anywhere rather whose comments were never sought by the journalist.
• The journalists report that the man had never seen his family for 18 years and this can make anyone watching the story to ask more questions. The sister is given opportunity to defend herself citing lack of bus fare. One wonders whether the journalist could have probed further – is this reason sufficient? Where are the brother(s)? Where are the prison authorities? What does the law say about someone serving life imprisonment in case the accuser agrees to reconcile with the prisoner?
• Without answers to all these questions, then one is left to believe that the motive of the journalists was mainly to play public relations or, again, advocacy journalism. Audience are bombarded by information about family cases in prison.

1. Conclusion

The two analyses (NTV and CTV) provides an overview of how media covers some stories that require in-depth analysis. The media has important influence on the public understanding of court rulings or conduct a follow up on prisoners to help understand their plight.

Journalists must understand that their audiences need to hear not only the expression of emotion but also the knowledge-based perspectives of experts on problems facing prisoners and how they found themselves in prison. The audience needs hard-nosed analysis on how a daughter could frame her father; how families ignore their brothers and sisters serving various imprisonment terms in prison, and the genuine root cause of such behaviors.

The diversity of sources, and strong presentation of evidence (objective and factual reporting) makes audience understand the story widely.