To say emperor is naked or to look the other way?

Odoobo C. Bichachi

What you need to know:

If you’re a member of the Fourth Estate, know these boundaries, even when you are plying your trade online where the 5th Estate predominates.

A very unfortunate video of South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit at a parade has been doing the rounds on social media this week. Not clear when or where it was recorded but clearly, the President had a health situation. Many “netizens”, as is the bane of our time, have shared the video with glee and mostly uncharitable comments.

Kiir is not the first African head of state to find himself in such a situation. Many years ago, then Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe was captured falling off the stairs of an aircraft as he disembarked and photos did the rounds. Former Kenya President Mwai Kibaki was similarly captured in an embarrassing moment when his trousers dropped down as he was delivering a speech behind the lectern.

When the Mugabe incident happened, I was still actively in the newsroom and there was no social media then but the photos came on the wire (AFP, Reuters, etc). We published them, capturing every step of the fall. Other mainstream media similarly published them.

I do not remember how the Kibaki incident panned out – if at all – in mainstream media. I do not recollect seeing the photos or video of the incident in mainstream media either. The video was however shared on social media.

Beyond social media, I have not seen the Kiir video or photo in mainstream media. Perhaps it will find its way there – later. But first, one or two questions to reflect on:

One, as an editor, would you treat the three incidents; similarly or not, and what would inform your decision making?

Two, as a reader or viewer, how would you react to the three incidents if they came on your news bulletin in your mainstream newspaper?

There is no straight yes or no answer but from the perspective of an editor, three things would come to mind: is it true, is it in public interest, and is it an invasion of privacy?

The code of ethics is the editor’s anchor in moments like this even though it, in itself, is a labyrinth of dos, don’ts and maybes. For example, the 16-point International Federation of Journalists’ “Global Charter of Ethics for Journalists” that I find to be the most comprehensive tells you, “Respect for the facts and for the right of the public to truth is the first duty of the journalist.”

A one verse editor, so to speak, will take this as the gospel and publish or post whatever comes into their newsfeed. Another will think about other articles, notably, “the journalist will respect privacy. He/she shall respect the dignity of the persons named and/or represented… He/she shall show particular consideration to inexperienced and vulnerable interviewees.” And many others that proclaim empathy and discretion.

Well, of the three incidents, two are involuntary gaffes while one is a chronic health condition. It is the latter that should ideally inform an editor’s decision to publish or not to. Health, disability, tragedy, etc demand empathy, not morbid “celebration”. And how would a reader or viewer react? It mostly would depend on one’s sensibilities and ethical anchor. What we see on the “5th Estate” (social media) where everyone is a “citizen journalist” perhaps reflects how many would receive this. Two perspectives from a Twitter thread I chanced upon on the Kiir incident on the handle of Kenyan journalist, Mwangi Maina, brings this out well.

@MwangiMaina tweeted: “That video of President Salva Kiir though… I think it should have never been put online. The role of the presidential handlers in times of crisis! There is a nice way of telling pressmen, look this cannot go because of this and that. We are human beings. Paints him badly!”

@Emmanuel_makina in a rejoinder tweeted: “Human decency…never show a picture of someone at their lowest, especially touching on their health.”

@snapperpictures disagreed, tweeting: “Honestly, who cares? And why insinuate that the truth should be withheld from the public? Not least by the collusion of the 5th Estate and people in the executive? What kind of journalists are we churning out?”

My takeaway is that the 4th and 5th estates have different perspectives on ethics. If you’re a member of the 4th Estate, know these boundaries, even when you are plying your trade online where the 5th Estate predominates.

Yes, you don’t always have to scream that the emperor is naked!

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