Kenya SECTOR 4: 4.1 The media practices high levels of professional standards The media follow voluntary codes of professional standards which are enforced by self-regulatory bodies. ANALYSIS: A Media Council Bill (1998) which would have imposed a statutory regulatory body on the media was shelved in favour of media selfregulation. Accordingly, the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) came into operation in 2004. Its complaints committee has 17 members with the majority being representatives of the public. The Council has one fully employed Executive Director, while all other members work as volunteers. The Council enjoys wide support from journalists, editors and owners of the mainstream media – both print and broadcasting. They willingly appear before the council when called. The alternative press still has to come on board. The Council’s code of ethics was widely circulated and discussed in the journalistic fraternity. Workshops were held for correspondents throughout the country and the code was published as a supplement in all the main newspapers to make media consumers aware of its content. Now, after one year, there is need for research to establish to what extent the code is being applied and adhered to. Every first Tuesday in a month the council calls for a public meeting in Nairobi to discuss ethical concerns in regard to the media’s performance. This “Media-Public Encounter” started in February 2005. Despite all these efforts there is a sense that the marketing of the code and the council could be improved. The media do not give enough prominence to their own council in their coverage. Some people still perceive the Council as being controlled by the Nation African Media Barometer - Kenya 2005 25