All newsmakers have been urged by the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) to stop paying journalists to cover their events.
After meeting with a number of media sector players on Thursday in Nairobi, MCK Chief Executive Officer David Omwoyo reaffirmed that newsmakers shouldn’t pay journalists to do their jobs.
Mr. Omwoyo mentioned the rise of quack journalists, who are known for seeking fees from news sources, when making the remarks.
In an effort to ferret out phony journalists, MCK withdrew all the accreditation cards it had sent out earlier this month.
“We wish to strongly caution newsmakers and event organizers to stop providing freebies to media. This explains why there are so many demands made on quakes following the incident. They think they’ll either get paid or have breakfast or lunch,” Mr. Omwoyo added.
Rebecca Mutiso, the manager of MCK Accreditation and Compliance, agreed with him.
“We want to remind the PR staff to cease handing away freebies. This is one of the ways we might lessen these incidents, according to Ms. Mutiso, who also noted that a compelling narrative always sells itself.
“Your tale can be published without you having to pay anything. It will be published without your payment if your content is excellent enough, she explained.
However, the MCK reaffirmed its dedication to ensuring the safety of all accredited journalists.
The CEO claimed that his job did not involve going around detaining quacks.
“As MCK, it is our responsibility to see that every journalist is accredited. Police should deal with those who claim to be trained journalists but are not, according to Mr. Omwoyo.
