The Media Complaints Commission has reprimanded Nakuru-based Sauti ya Mwananchi Radio for content in violation of the Media Council Act, 2013 including breach of the Code of Conduct for the Practice of Journalism in Kenya. The media house failed to comply with a cease-and-desist order issued by the Council.
Further, Commission slapped the radio station with a KShs 250,000 fine for breach of the code of conduct.
The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) had filed a case with the Media Complaints Commission against the media house for non-adherence to regulation requirements. Through a cease-and-desist order, the Council advised the station against airing content that had been identified to breach the Code of Conduct for the Practice of Journalism in Kenya.
In its justification, MCK cited non-compliance by the station amounting to a breach of the journalism code of conduct as highlighted in its media monitoring reports.
The Commission reached the decision and entered an ex parte Judgement following the failure by the radio station to appear before it.
In the judgment, the Commission noted that Sauti ya Mwananchi “ignored the summons and wilfully failed to participate in the due process proceedings” and as a result issued a public reprimand pursuant to section 38(1)(d) of the Media Council Act 2013 stating that;
“The media enterprise known as Sauti Ya Mwananchi Radio & Tv operating within Nakuru City is hereby publicly reprimanded for being in violation of the provisions of the Media Council Act 2013 as read with the Code of Conduct for the Practice of Journalism in Kenya and particularly for non-compliance with the directions of the Council as well as refusing to participate in the process proceeding of the Media Complaints Commission. Notice is hereby given that continued disregard to the cease-and-desist order without appealing is a valid ground for a recommendation for withdrawal of accreditation for a specific period of time".