Media Council of Kenya (MCK) has established media centres in major towns to offer journalists a conducive working environment as most media houses shut down offices in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The media hubs provide equipment and working space for local reporters and correspondents in the respective towns.
The brilliant initiative will also support media practitioners in covering the 2022 General Elections.
MCK Chief Executive Officer David Omwoyo who was talking during the unveiling of the elections reporting guidelines in Kisumu County on Monday said many journalists were working without offices and lacked appropriate equipment thus compromising professionalism in the sector.
“The Council will provide media centres in two phases to facilitate journalists to carry out their work in a dignified environment. We implement various activities aimed at enhancing support to the media and to facilitate the performance of their duties. Accordingly, we intervene in areas that hamper professionalism in the media such as lack of working space and appropriate tools for media work,” Omwoyo said.
The Council has so far established four fully furnished information centre facilities in Kisumu, Mombasa, Meru and Nakuru counties.
In the second phase of the project, five more workstations will be constructed in other selected towns.
The media centres have high-speed internet connections with computers, furniture and adequate security to enable reporters to work without obstruction.
They will be able to do live links, edit photos and videos and even write news stories in these facilities.
The closure of satellite offices of several media houses has forced many journalists to operate from cyber cafes, hotels and even social places exposing them to many risks, and in turn, hampering the performance of their duties.
MCK Chairman Maina Muiruri reiterated the need for collaborative efforts by all stakeholders to guarantee a conducive working environment for journalists as they discharge their duties.
Muiruri said MCK has elaborate strategies to raise journalistic standards and ensure the safety of all journalists.
The media watchdog so far has conducted training for journalists, provision of grants, and review of the Election Reporting Guidelines to enhance reportage on electoral processes, among many others.
By Robert Ojwang’
