SECTOR 4 The media practice high levels of professional standards. 4.1 The media follow voluntary codes of professional standards, which are enforced by self-regulatory bodies that deal with complaints from the public. Media houses in Kenya tend to have their own editorial policies with clear cut rules and regulations addressing ethics and standards with some of the media houses instituting their own complaint mechanisms. • The Star has a Complaints Editor and they encourage the public to report professional lapses by the paper or its journalists • The Daily Nation runs an advert informing the public that its reporters cannot accept money from news sources and that the paper does not pay for stories. The advert includes a number that readers can use to make complaints. On a national level there is a voluntary self-regulatory body even though it is instituted through legislation. The Media Act of 2009 establishes the Media Council of Kenya which is then responsible: “for the conduct and discipline of journalists and the media; for the self-regulation of the media and for connected purposes.” The same Act allows the MCK to set up the Complaints Commission (CC). Any member of the public, who has a complaint against a journalist, publication or a media enterprise, can write to the Media Council of Kenya about “the nature of the injury or damage suffered and the remedy sought.” Within two weeks of receiving the complaint the MCK is required to pass on the complaint to the CC for a determination. The authority of the Complaints Commission is backed by this legislation and in turn the decisions are recognised by the Kenyan judiciary. The CC’s rules of proceedings have also been approved by the attorney general. The Complaints Commission is headed by a Judge, who is required to have the same professional qualifications as one who sits in the High Court. Its work includes receiving complaints from the public. The accused media house has fourteen days to respond to the complaint. And then, all parties are invited for a hearing. Members of the commission include media owners, journalists, lawyers and state representatives. It is partly funded by the government, the media industry and foreign development partners. The annual grant from the government is KSh 50 54 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER KENYA 2012