As Kenya’s media landscape continues to evolve under the influence of digital transformation and artificial intelligence, regulators and practitioners are being urged to deepen their understanding of the Code of Conduct for Media Practice, 2025.
This call formed the basis of a sensitisation forum convened by the Complaints Commission, aimed at strengthening compliance, ethical accountability, and regulatory clarity within the media sector as journalism practice expands beyond traditional newsrooms.
Media Council of Kenya (MCK) Director of Media Training and Development, Victor Bwire, emphasised the importance of sustained sensitisation on the revised Code to ensure consistent interpretation and enforcement of professional standards.
Mr Bwire noted that the review of the Code was informed by changes in media practice, emerging technologies, and the growing influence of artificial intelligence, which now plays a role in news production, broadcasting, and content dissemination.
“There is a need for continuous sensitisation on the Code of Conduct, and we want the Complaints Commission to support us in educating media practitioners on both the principles and expectations of ethical media practice,” he said.
He underscored that despite technological shifts, the foundational principles of journalism remain intact, including the obligation to seek and report the truth, minimise harm, and practise solution-based and community-centred journalism.
Chairperson of the Media Complaints Commission Demas Kiprono underscored the importance of the revised Code as a living instrument that responds to emerging ethical challenges, including digital journalism, social media use, misinformation, and evolving newsroom practices.
“The Commission has a responsibility to interpret and enforce the Code in a manner that balances media freedom with accountability and public interest, in line with Article 34 of the Constitution,” he noted.
Mr Kiprono also spoke on the role of the Complaints Commission in operationalising the reviewed Code through fair, transparent and proportionate dispute resolution mechanisms, emphasising mediation as a primary avenue while preserving adjudication as a safeguard where ethical breaches persist.
“The reviewed Code is anchored to the Commission’s broader reforms, including updated procedures and practice directions aimed at improving consistency, efficiency and public confidence in the media self-regulation framework,” he said.
MCK Manager, Regulatory Affairs, Terrence Minishi, outlined the nexus between the Code of Conduct for Media Practice and the hearings conducted by the Complaints Commission.
He noted that the expanded scope of the Code now covers all accredited media practitioners working within media houses, ensuring that those engaged in journalism are guided by a common set of standards and that enforcement bodies speak with one voice.
Mr Minishi explained that the review also resolved historical overlaps between the Communications Authority programming code and the Code of Conduct for Media Practice, affirming the MCK as the sole body mandated to set, review, and enforce media standards through the Complaints Commission.
“If a content creator is associated with or disseminates content through a mainstream media platform, the Code of Conduct applies. Where content is purely private and not journalistic in nature, it falls outside the Code,” he clarified.
He added that the revised Code responds to emerging ethical challenges arising from digital transformation and now includes provisions governing the advertising and promotion of gaming, betting, and lottery activities, requiring fairness, accuracy, avoidance of bias, and clear separation from general content.
MCK Manager for Media Monitoring and Research, Dinnah Ondari, highlighted the regulatory link between media monitoring, ethics enforcement, and legal processes.
Ms Ondari noted that monitoring and research play a critical role in identifying trends such as hate speech and integrity breaches, providing evidence that informs regulatory action and supports the work of the Complaints Commission.
The sensitisation engagement underscored the Commission’s role in promoting ethical compliance, guiding interpretation of the Code, and strengthening public confidence in the media, as the sector navigates rapid technological change and heightened regulatory expectations.