Who gets to decide what is censored and how it is censored? - the government? What rules would they use? And what would stop them from censoring *anything* they find objectionable? - the people? How do you arrive at a consensus on this issue? A vote? A referendum? "Common-sense"? Or have "the people" already spoken by being very willing consumers? Let's remember that media houses are here to make money, they wouldn't produce programming if there was no market for it. Regulating media houses on content that the public willingly watches is akin to demonizing prostitutes for providing a service many men willingly thirst for. If you want to "clean the airwaves", don't misdirect your energy at the messengers (media houses providing what the market wants), instead invest your energy on the "message" (the people watching such programs). Or even better, as Ashok suggested, be a better parent and get rid of your TV (or carefully regulate it). The government is not a shortcut to good parenting. Saidi PS Perhaps the government should regulate parenting as well? Just saying it is a slippery slope. On Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 10:57 PM, Solomon Mburu Kamau <solo.mburu@gmail.com>wrote:
I'm dismayed by Ashok's assertion on the comparison between porn and media regulation. Kenya's population is >30 million compared to the 54 million hits you got on searching porn. But are you trying to justify porn while at the same time asking for decency in our media? Years ago, it was wrong, if not sinful for them media to display nudity on TV. It would earn a reprimand. Just take a look at our TV stations, if you live in Kenya, and you'd realize that a lot is left to be desired. The news are Copy and Paste from some international media, localised for the local audience, which is not a bad thing, but when done in excess, it looses its essence.
Freedom has a price and it can't be misused by a few errant media houses. When I was studying journalism, I did a unit called Ethics and it started something like this: '*It's usually difficult to regulate the media because most of them self-regulate the content.....' *Furthermore, it was apparent that medical practitioners, lawyers and other professionals, are regulated by the state or other external regulation. Because media has been left to self-regulate itself, this freedom has been misused, esssentially to tarnish names and destroy the morals and ethics of a nation.
We cannot watch Kenya going back to 2007-2008 because some people feel they are controlled by the government. Whatever is good for Kenyans, I fully support it, without reservations.
Porn is really marketable but who in his/her right mind would want to see their daughter or son acting porn and tell the world about it.
Let decency prevail for the sake of our children and the future of Kenya. Sensationalism will not work.
Media must be strictly regulated.
2010/1/12 David Kiania | Asentric Consulting Ltd <kianiadee@gmail.com>
Ashok,
Those who publish porn don't claim to be journalists or members of any 'professional' body .. that has got to be earned. Secondly the internet unlike airwaves are not a public resource. So let's carry your debate to the nth level should we have free porn on Tele 247, or unregulated content.
I have no doubt you are well traveled tell me one country where that happens, please say Holland I have been there and watershed hours don't begin until 11pm and it's not free for all.
Ashok, do you have children or a family? Do you not care what your children nephews and nieces watch. Aren't you censoring content, and interfering with their right? Let them watch what they want don't be like the government.
There is NO freedom without boundaries and expression of responsibility, it's earned not demanded.
Kiania
On Tue, Jan 12, 2010 at 12:00 AM, Ashok Hariharan <ashok@parliaments.info> wrote:
On 1/11/10, David Kiania | Asentric Consulting Ltd <kianiadee@gmail.com> wrote:
Without a doubt, content the content sucks and the reporters (by far the majority) do not have professional journalism training. Should we entrust such a powerful medium to the current crop of journalists and media houses do they deserve it?
Stupidity is a human right. If you go by that regulatory yardstick every other person on the planet would be behind bars.
In most cases it is easier to switch off the television (or sell it), than demand that the government do something about it.
I dont understand how a music video can corrupt anyones morals .. when there is the internet .... I just searched for "free porn" and I got 56 million hits ....more than the population of Kenya. Lets ask the government to regulate all those 56 million hits. _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------ Skunkworks Server donations spreadsheet
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