The media council is currently monitoring a good number of radio stations across the country. This is done real-time. And every week, we try to profile one or another outlet for feedback and documentation. This week the cameras focus on Radio Maisha.
Like most radio stations Radio Maisha has its content-related challenges as discussed herein.
The morning drive show is called “Maisha Asubuhi” and is hosted by Emmanuel Mwashumbe and Actor/Comedian Sugar Boy from 6:00am – 10:00am from Monday- Friday. Billy Miya sat in for Mwashumbe from December 21, 2020- January 8, 2021. The News segment is rotational between, Mike Nyagwoka, Beatrice Maganga and Caren Papai.
The first hour is gospel themed – Music and prayer. This is followed by a newspaper review session. From 7am to 8am after news, the presenters introduce gambling (Lure the audience to deposit Ksh.100 to win Ksh. 150,000, winners are called, and money is deposited to their M-Pesa). Sugar boy would then do a prank call, the segment is known as “Wrong Number”.
The third hour, sees conversations on the socio-political topics of the week or day with an expert on the topic. The audience is invited to participate in the conversation via SMS, Calls and Social Media platforms.
Finally, the morning show ends at 10am with more gambling announcements and music. But that’s not before a segment known as “Kesi Mashinani” takes place. Here Mwashumbe refers to himself as ‘judge’, while Sugarboy is the prosecutor of court number 9. The audience shares their personal experiences in life, clearly seeking advice and support. The cases sometimes revolve around marital conflicts, domestic violence, land conflicts, debts, alcoholism, or children custody. Well, like in most radio stations the radio presenters turn themselves into counsellors advising victims on what to or not do.
In some occasions, the presenter makes fun of the situation in the name of helping, disregarding that this could be a personal cry for help. Normally, there are no concrete solutions to the many cases offered by the presenters raising questions as to why there are no experts invited in the studio to deal with specialized matters. In the end, the show can be dismissed as click-baiting to increase radio and or presenter ratings.
More so, the show attracts some conversations that can be deemed as shallow or biased or both. Sometimes they are stereotypical of others.
For example, on December 17, 2020 at 9:28am, the song, “Give it to me” by Akothee FT Flavour was playing. The song praises women with ‘good’ bodies that can make a man spend all his money. Lol.
Sugarboy says to the lyrics, ‘Kama una mwili mzuri tutalipa, kama uko na matire and manyama usi expect tulipie ata Uber.’ (If you have a good body, we will pay for you but if you have a big tummy and extra fat, we won’t pay even for your Uber). He proceeds to laugh heartily about this.
Mwashumbe interjects saying, ‘Hapana sitakubali, kila mtu ana taste yake. Ile wewe hupendi mwingine analipia Uber (I will not accept that, everyone has their taste in women, despise one then another person pays for their Uber).
Sugarboy’s remarks are biased, inciting and offensive in moral principles of journalism, as it intimidates plus-size women. The comment is inappropriate and may fuel hatred towards such women.
From our observation, Radio Maisha has 12 male and 3 female presenters, this gender disparity is seen in the morning and evening drive shows and could be addressed if shows could have a female perspectives or more female presenters. With more women, the content and probably the approach would also be different if not revolutionary.
