State Department of Telecommunications and Broadcasting Principal Secretary Edward Kisiangani has advised journalists on the responsibility that comes with media freedom.
Speaking at the Media Council of Kenya’s annual ‘World Press Freedom Day’ event, Kisiangani reminded members of the press, the different ways media freedom can be misused.
“While World Press Freedom Day reminds us of media freedom as the epitome of universal liberty, it also reminds us of the burden of responsibility that goes with that liberty,” The PS said.
The Ps also talked about misuse of media, terming it as a very powerful tool, and warned against use of the media liberty to trample on other people’s rights.
“You can cause war by doing that. You have to be very careful in this post-truth age where falsehoods can be refurbished to seem truthful,” Kisiangani said.
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He advised the media to take criticism positively and to avoid spreading hate speech or any other form of propaganda.
“We should not, in the name of freedom, drive an agenda that divides people or leads them to war,” the PS said.
He said at times mainstream media pick up cues which might be false from social media and amplify them.
