KENYA: On World Communications Day, Catholic Media Practitioners Reminded to Value Feedback from Audience

Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA

Catholic media practitioners from Kenya’s Archdiocese of Nairobi have been called upon as the Church marks World communications Day (WCD), to be attentive to reactions from audiences so their decisions can be guided and informed by the feedback to help improve operations of media houses.

Addressing the congregants at Holy Mass during his homily, Fr. Andrew Kaufa who was the main celebrant of the event held at Holy Family Minor Basilica, Nairobi emphasized on the theme of the 56^th WCD on listening with the ear of the heart.

He reminded members from various media houses in the Archdiocese who organized the event to be attentive to audiences’ views saying, “As media houses present here today, this calls us to reflect on how we value the opinions of the people who watch and listen to our televisions, radios, those who buy our newspapers and think deeply how much we give them opportunity to talk to us.”

“How much does our television and radio stations conduct audience research that we may get feedback to help improve our services? Fr. Kaufa posed a question to Catholic media practitioners during the Sunday, May 29, Eucharistic celebration, stressing the essence of listening to others.

The Catholic media houses within the Archdiocese on Nairobi who planned for the day’s event include the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops Communications (KCCB), the Messenger of Mary Immaculate managed by the Order of Friars Minor Conventual, New People Media Center for the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus, the Seed magazine run by the Consolata Missionaries, Bayard Publications owned by the Augustinians of the Assumption and Loyola Center for Media and Communications for the Jesuits.

Radio Waumini for KCCB, Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA), the Archdiocese of Nairobi, Pauline’s Publications Africa for the Daughters of St. Paul, Radio Maria Nairobi, the Association for Catholic Information in Africa (ACI Africa), Capuchin TV for Order of Friar Minor Capuchin, the Bosco Eastern Africa Multimedia Services (BEAMS) for the Salesians of Don Bosco and the Catholic mirror for KCCB.

Fr. Kaufa the AMECEA Social Communications Coordinator underscores further that listening with the ear of the heart calls for the virtue of patience, revealing that in the current society “Our conversations are characterized with lack of attention, as we get destructed with social media.”

Fr Kaufa referenced two ongoing events in the country which call for listening to each other, that is the upcoming General elections and the ongoing Synodal process.

“General elections are about political aspirants and political parties presenting their ideas after listening to concerns of the people and after doing their research,” Fr. Kaufa said emphasizing on the upcoming elections in August adding that, “We too (citizens) ought to listen to promises of politicians through their manifestos so that we make informed decisions. In both ways listening is important.”

Synodal process on the other hand, Fr. Kaufa a member of the Montfort Missionaries narrated, “Requires us to open our ears and hearts to listen to the Holy Spirit, to listen to one another and especially to members of the Church who are oftentimes voiceless, the marginalized, prisoners, the elderly and women who probably think the church does not value them at all.”

He asked the congregants during the Sunday event to pray for media practitioners, “As we continue working in the promotion of the establishment of God’s kingdom.”