A certain newspaper has been nicknamed “Daily Ruto”. Of course that’s is not a compliment. Rather, the new moniker sums up what some readers think of the paper’s political diet.
The publication’s owners and editors might sneeze at the insolence. After all, the paper has been around and gained the trust of so many readers over so many years that it appears “no one can stop reggae.” Ruto sells copies; that is all that matters.
Well, here is breaking news: Social media can stop reggae. Some of the long and loud conversations going on in digital spaces have massive influence on public opinion. Social media has widely expanded freedom of expression and given birth to a powerful fella called the influencer.
The era of audiences assumed to be passive consumers of media content is gone forever, thanks to the digital ‘revolution’ of the 21st century. Everyone with a mobile phone is potentially a content creator.
It is no longer left to the mainstream media to determine and amplify the voices of certain individuals as society’s sole thought leaders. Organic intellectuals, previously suppressed anti-establishment voices, are emerging from the digital world to disrupt mainstream narratives on the hottest topics of the day.
Moreover, those conversations on social media now shape mainstream news coverage. The journalist no longer has the monopoly of framing conversations about matters of public interest. You ignore social media at your own peril.
One of the most talked about stories last week was aired by NTV on Tuesday, March 3, under the heading, “Bridges to a clean slate?”
Olive Barrows reported that a certain private office in Nairobi’s Upper Hill has become the Mecca for rotten politicians who are being pursued in the much-publicised war on corruption.
A potent political detergent is supplied in that office and once a filthy and stinking politico goes in, he or she comes out “mweupe kama pamba” after “mwosho mmoja tu.”
NTV carried this report last week. But the issue has been the subject of extensive commentaries on social media for two years since the handshake between Raila Odinga and President Uhuru Kenyatta on March 9, 2018. Social media has been awash with hilarious memes about “mwosho mmoja tu”, “mweupe kama pamba”, “handcheque” and similar depictions of political hypocrisy and opportunism.
Burrows told her viewers: “The political class plays by a different set of rules. They lose no sleep over getting into bed with thieves and murderers as long as it serves their interest. For all the finger pointing and proclamations that corruption makes their skin crawl, their actions tell a very different story.”
A strong indictment there. But it was no news. That condemnation has been all over social media. One commentator said NTV was becoming bold. That may be true. But the pressure for bold journalism seems to come from social media where no holds barred conversations are the order of the day.
Mainstream media has a clear choice to make: Either give their audiences dynamic content that truly reflects their concerns or run pointless political stories daily to sell copies or grab eyeballs. Social media will stop that reggae.
