Jeff Otieno
17 January 2006
Nairobi — The Government wants views on whether media ownership should be controlled.
Yesterday, Information and Communication minister Mutahi Kagwe said: "We want to get views on whether we should allow a single proprietor to own more than one radio station, newspaper and television station."
The Information and Communication Technology Bill, to be tabled in Parliament, addresses ownership of media organisations by individuals and firms.
The minister urged MPs to actively debate the issue once the ICT Bill was brought to Parliament.
He added: "We want also to know whether single ownership of such nature gives the public diversity or reduces it."
He said the Government would not impose its wishes but go by the decision of the majority.
Commenting on the hate campaign perpetrated by some FM radio stations in the run up to the referendum, Mr Kagwe said ways must also be found of protecting journalists from arm-twisting proprietors.
"In certain cases, it's not the journalists who perpetrate hatred, but the proprietors who instruct that a certain stand be taken," he added.
The minister spoke at the Kenya College of Communications and Technology at Mbagathi in the city outskirts during a meeting organised by the Centre for Multi-party Democracy to seek ways of enhancing relations with the media.
The ICT Bill aims at opening up the information and communication sector, while the Media Bill seeks to enhance press freedom and define the role of the media council, scheduled to operate like other professional bodies such as the Law Society of Kenya.
Mr Kagwe said the Government supported a mixed approach - legislative and self-regulation - in controlling the profession.
He criticised the media for concentrating on politics and abandoning other issues that affect Kenyans.
However, Dr Apollo Njonjo of the Social Democratic Party defended the media, saying Opposition politics must be protected.
Mr Kagwe challenged political parties to embrace information and communication technology.
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