A backlash on Twitter by Kenyans accusing US news channel, CNN, of sensational reporting has forced the channel to apologise to Kenyans and pull down a video report on suspected terrorist bombing that took place in downtown Nairobi. The CNN report portrayed the grenade blasts in Nairobi as “violence in Kenya”, wording that triggered outrage from the tweeting Kenyans.
Using the Twitter hashtag #SomeoneTellCNN the Kenyans on Twitter (#KOT for short) came together to criticize the global news network for misrepresenting the facts. Hashtags are a way of tagging and categorising content on Twitter. The #SomeoneTellCNN hashtag was posted on Twitter so many times on Sunday, March 11, that it became a trending topic on the platform globally.
Subsequently a CNN correspondent in Kenya, David McKenzie apologised and confirmed CNN was pulling the offending video.
Here are some of the #SomeoneTellCNN tweets:
It is extremely irresponsible for CNN to paint Kenya as a nation in chaos while we are victims of terror. #SomeoneTellCNN
— Willem (@Willem316) March 11, 2012
#SomeoneTellCNN that it wouldn’t kill them if they reported more positive stories about Kenya & Africa in general.
— Wamathai(@Wamathai) March 11, 2012
“@Zawadin: #SomeoneTellCNN that Africans watch CNN too & that we will not be silent as they misrepresent us. We Will Be Heard!”
— Nanjira Sambuli (@NiNanjira) March 11, 2012
#SomeoneTellCNN to get their facts correct when they report. Nkt. Kenya is a peaceful country.
— DJ KROWBAR (@djkrowbar) March 11, 2012
#someonetellCNN Thats professional negligence and you should offer official apology! @CNN Am angered but your irrational reporting!
— Felix Mutua (@thatwizzle) March 11, 2012
And the apologies by the CNN correspondent in Nairobi:
Our reporting onlast night was accurate, the banner used in bulletin was not. I contacted CNN for future bulletins. Apologies to all.
— David McKenzie (@McKenzieCNN) March 11, 2012
We are having offending video pulled. Again, apologies for the mistake. It was changed on air, but not online. Now it is.
— David McKenzie (@McKenzieCNN) March 11, 2012
Some tweets after the CNN correspondent’s apology:
Your broadcast on violence in Kenya was not on twitter,it was on air. The apology should go to the same people,on air #someonetellCNN
— Ndinda(@ndinda_) March 11, 2012
@McKenzieCNN #someonetellCNN that an apology doesn’t erase the problem presented: the sensationalization of news about Africa.
— Nanjira Sambuli (@NiNanjira) March 11, 2012
Whether the story is about #Kenya or #Uganda; positive or not tell it as it is. No exaggeration. No more lies about Africa #SomeoneTellCNN
— Mubatsi Asinja H (@Asinja) March 11, 2012
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11 comments
well done kenyans!!!! bravo!!
The CNN correspondent did good to apologise. sensationalisation is a big problem not only done by CNN but by the BBC, Fox, Sky, France24 you name them. And it’s not just them global channels our own local media is a hugely notorious at this, whether its the private media or the government. bravo to the Kenyans for standing up to the media
Bravo Uhuru. I have encountered ridiculous reports in my line of work as well. I have managed to prove this beyond reasonable doubt so much that, now, all our professional reports in African states are always wary about this problem. Time to hit back!
Serves them right those CNN buggers!!
Would Zimbabweans do the same? Doubt it.
No. Some of us have been marginalised off thinking for the good of all Zim.
Congrats Kenya !!!!
if the CNN correspondent in Nairobi is a good and well qualified there is no way he can be in nairobi.This are the same journalists who downplayed reports on racism in UK recently. The worst slum in the world is in US but they never report that instead the take cameras to Kibera not knowing that a Kibera resident is wealthy than this correspondent
@1884ba807a5276d0b6008fcafa164dfc:disqus , Zimbos do that, but there is no ear to listen to their voice. Follow the blogs on Herald, NewsDay etc. You’ll notice that people are speaking. Sometimes you don’t get the required result like the Kenyans did but that does not stop you from speaking out. Bravo Kenyans on Twitter (KOT)…
[…] #KOT [Kenyans on twitter] who will not waste any chance to correct international media like CNN for wrongly broadcasting news about the various situations in Kenya. All these have been very successful but the same approach […]
[…] #KOT [Kenyans on twitter] who will not waste any chance to correct international media like CNN for wrongly broadcasting news about the various situations in Kenya. All these have been very successful but the same approach […]