Tag Archives: media

Public opinion Versus Political Influence over the Media

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The Hague Suspects (two among them) presidential hopefuls have been accused of engaging with the local media, with an aim of swaying public opinion against the ICC.

The International Crisis Group (ICG), which has been monitoring the Kenyan cases at The Hague, in its report, reveals that the said suspects along with the local media, have employed a scheme casting the “suspects” as victims of the court, and of ‘sinister plots’ by their political opponents, aiming at barring them from participating in the 2012 elections.[“During the recent hearings at The Hague, the media… (Covered the cases as if) Moreno-Ocampo was prosecuting Kenya, not individual suspects.”]

Very well done! That must have worked its way to some level of success I should say. It is however prudent to note that a vast majority of Kenyan youth, who constitute a major sector of the electorate, have matured to be free thinkers, through the teachings of their life experiences, and interpersonal interactions. There has been a collective ‘paradigm-shift’ in the thoughts of today’s Kenyan youth’s-something that is sounding a loud and clear ‘revolution’. The Kenyan youth has realized that this is the ‘age of the mind’, and has started to ‘think’. A famous line goes, “You can fool some people sometimes, but you can’t fool all the people all the time.” The future of this country lies on the hands of the youths of today not on ‘whoever’ frequents the TV screens in the living-rooms at prime-time.

References:

Media in the dock over hague cases All Kenya News 4th March 2012

The Hague judgement causes Uhuru, Ruto sleepless nights The Citizen 5th Mrch, 2012

SOCIAL MEDIA | Why Kenyan firms should embrace social media

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If you are wondering what social media is, it basically refers to the use of web based and mobile technologies to turn communication into an interactive dialogue. Many firms in the market today need to embrace this trend in technology, mainly because it is cheaper and feedback is not delayed. Social media can take on many different forums, such as web blogs, internet forums, and micro blogs. Examples of social media are the likes of you tube, twitter, Facebook, and many others.

How will they benefit from this? Apart from relatively cheaper advertising, social media could use this to place promotions over social networking sites. For instance, a firm could have a fun page on Facebook and place available promotions. Also, because of the interactive nature of social networks, a firm can use this to their advantage to manage their reputation. By this they keep an eye on conversations going on and respond to them. Social media can also be used to collect feedback or suggestion to a firm on their products or services, or how the firm should operate in favor of its consumers. Social media is also decentralized, therefore, it lays a foundation for globalization and publicity of a firm.

These are just a few ways a firm can use social media. It is appropriate for marketing and publicity. Many companies have gone online in Kenya, therefore, the use of social media is just an icing on the cake. Also, consumers are now purchasing commodities online. Therefore, the companies are able to attract vast markets. Because of its utility, social media is accessible to anyone, and easy to use. It is also available to the public with little or no cost. To sum up, the greatest and most productive way a firm can use social media is by managing their reputation. Consumers can air complaints, offer suggestions and feedback freely without feeling intimidated.

References:
Social Media

7 Rules of Social Media and Creating Trust Around Your Brand

Social media and online PR.