FAKE NEWS IS REAL AND HERE TO STAY

Fake news is rampant in the commodity sector more than in the political campaigns/ competition. This emerged in a DW Akademie alumni (KE) media forum 2018 held in a Kisumu hotel -Kenya in March.

speaking to the DW Akademie alumni Kenya chapter members, Kisumu Governor Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o said that high development in technology leads to change in the world disastrously ,urging journalists to do more research for they are exposed to the world.

The governor however, warned the journalist on spending too much time on social media saying that this tempers with ones psychology.

He encouraged every individual to work hard to help in the development of the society. “The work of the government will be to manage things but as an individual you should work hard to help in the development of the society,” he said.

Dr. Charles Nyambuga Director School of Journalism and Mass Communication Maseno University, said that fake news is a threat to democracy and our co-existence urging journalists to stop being averse to work which makes fake news thrive.

Speaking in the same forum, Thomas Japani, Head of Radio Maisha standard media group said that fake news goes down to the source. “How do we play the role of gate keepers at our media houses? Who are our sources? “He asked.

Japani noted that what happens at the policy level impacts on what happens on air and thus also impacts on fake news adding that government systems in the world today are making perpetuating fake news to thrive. He urged practitioners/journalists to stand firm and rectify the situation as specialists.

Editors-online and news content, Nation Media Group Churchill Otieno said that fake content does not give value to a station adding that audience are there to consume facts and not falsehood.

In his key note, first Secretary for Political Affairs, Head of press section Dr. Alexander Puk, said journalists need to express the truth and be vigilant to report accurate information. “As a journalist you need to express the truth be vigilant to report accurate information as a lesson was learnt during the general election in Kenya where issues were unnecessarily taken out of proportion leading to the switching off of some stations,” he noted

The forum was organized by DW Akademie

ENDS…………………….