KENYA: Catholic Media Houses Urged to Foster Collaboration for Greater Achievements
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
At the 56th World Communications Day on Sunday, May 29, Members of Catholic media houses in Kenya’s Archdiocese of Nairobi have been called upon to foster collaboration in order to achieve more in their mission to evangelize the word of God to the people through various media platforms.
World Communications Day (WCD) that was established by Pope Paul VI in 1967 as an annual event, aimed to encourage reflection on the opportunities and challenges of the new media to communicate gospel message to the people.
In his Sunday message to Catholic media practitioners drawn from 15 media houses within the Archdiocese, the Principal Secretary (PS) in Kenya’s Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs Mr. Jerome Okoth Ochieng encouraged partnership among media personnel emphasizing that teamwork yields more benefits.
“The nature of communication is changing. Previously communication was reserved to media houses but not in this current world. We must be cognizant of this change and bring our efforts and synergies together,” the PS said while addressing about 90 participants who attended the event adding that, when working together, “We are able to take advantage and do more with the minimum resources available.”
The former Director of the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) at the National Treasury promised the Catholic media practitioners that the government will work together with them to enhance capacity building.
“There is need for training and capacity building of our journalists, which the ministry has a responsibility for,” Mr. Ochieng said while addressing members from the media houses in Nairobi and continued, “We will work together with the Catholic Media houses to ensure we do capacity building and trainings of our media houses.”
Focusing on the forthcoming general elections in the country slated for Tuesday, August 9, Mr. Ochieng’ who has also served as ICT Manager with Public Procurement Oversight Authority for over five years challenged the Catholic media houses of their responsibility in educating and informing the public.
“We have an important role of preparing our people towards the upcoming general elections. As media houses we need to define to them (the society) the roles of a leader and the expectations,” he said.
According to the government official, it is high time Catholic media houses came up with a plan on how to prepare the people for elections.
Echoing the Ps’ sentiments during the Sunday event for media houses to work as a team, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) Mr. David Omwoyo underscored that the current challenges in the media world especially on matters of “Journalists safety, the use of technology and resources for sustainability,” calls for collaboration.
“I urge you to collaborate more, and develop joint programs,” Mr. Omwoyo who has about 19 years’ experience in journalism shared with Media practitioners at Holy Family Minor Basilica adding that, “We have the largest pool of media trainers in this field and we are ready to provide support financially and equipment from time to time especially for local media.”
The CEO who has served in various media sectors including public, private, religious and non-governmental, challenged the Catholic media houses to take lead in disseminating election messages and also participate in the annual journalism award.
Additionally he challenged the Church to embrace the use of technology as it’s the popular means of communication in the contemporary world and encouraged the Catholic media houses to collaborate and get an App (application) that can help do things together so as “to reach millions of people.”
He appreciated the work of the Catholic Church and urged the media practitioners to continue spreading good news of peace as there are “some media houses obsessed with spreading bad news.”
Highlighting the objectives of the Catholic media houses in the Archdiocese of Nairobi, Fr. Andrew Bwalya who is the coordinator said in his opening address that the group is “for peer support at all levels as we are all working in the same field and facing the same challenges.”
“The group is to help create collaboration and synergies among us, such that when our Archdiocese benefits, we too benefit when we are united,” Fr. Bwalya the Director of New People Media Centre narrated adding that, “We are also to transmit the gospel message and the Catholic faith, as we are the key players when it comes to creation and dissemination of Catholic content and announcing the gospel values.”
The member of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus (MCCJ) appreciated all the Catholic media houses in Nairobi for their collaboration and especially for celebrating the WCD together after a very long time.
