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Public interest: Why truth over clicks matters
Many young Kenyans now consume news primarily through platforms like TikTok and X.
It often starts with a tweet, a forwarded message, or a hastily edited video clip - shared hundreds of times before a journalist can verify its truth. In a world where anyone with a smartphone can break “news,” the lines between fact, opinion, and outright fabrication have blurred, challenging even the most seasoned media professionals.
Yet, despite this noisy information ecosystem, journalism remains one of society’s most powerful tools for reflection and reform - particularly when pursued with accuracy, responsibility, and an unwavering commitment to the public interest.
Kenya faces a pivotal moment as the digital media shift presents both opportunities and challenges. Technology has enabled media to reach audiences faster and more directly than ever before. It has created new platforms for storytelling, exposed hidden injustices, supported humanitarian efforts, and even reunited families.
However, it has also unleashed a flood of unverified content, intensified commercial pressures on newsrooms, and deepened public scepticism towards mainstream media. As more people turn to non-traditional sources for news, questions arise about who bears responsibility for truth- and how those who betray it should be held accountable.
The concept of public interest has always been at the heart of journalism. It guides journalists in choosing which stories matter, which facts must be uncovered, and which questions must be asked. But what does public interest mean in an era where content goes viral not for its importance but for being entertaining, scandalous, or divisive? It demands that media do more than merely inform; they must scrutinise power, protect the vulnerable, and foster national cohesion.
When journalists uphold these ideals - through responsible reporting, rigorous fact-checking, and avoiding manipulation or bias - they serve their audiences better and protect their own credibility. Audiences, too, have a role. As news consumers, we must be more discerning, ask tougher questions, and resist amplifying misinformation..
Many young Kenyans now consume news primarily through platforms like TikTok and X, where brevity often overshadows depth. This shift demands that legacy media adapt - without compromising their commitment to accuracy and verification. The future of journalism lies not in resisting change but in adapting intelligently,.
Journalists and media houses cannot do this alone. The broader ecosystem must support them. The Annual Media Summit, organised by the Media Council of Kenya and taking place in the wake of this year’s World Press Freedom Day, under the theme Public Interest in the Era of Technology: Media Accountability and National Values, aims to distil the challenges and opportunities shaping today’s information ecosystem.
Let this be a call to action - for journalists to recommit to public service, for citizens to prioritise truth over clicks, and for institutions to protect the space that enables both. The future of our media - and our democracy - depends on it.
Mr Omwoyo is the CEO of the Media Council of Kenya. [email protected]
