Media Diversity Center (MDC)

One of its key programme activities of the Media Diversity Center is the establishment of Content Centres. These Content Centres work to provide opportunities for gathering, processing, and disseminating development content from different parts of the country, covering a variety of social concerns which affect Kenyan society and which are often left out of mainstream media. As of March 2010, MDC had established seven centres, and plans to establish at least two more. The centres provide computers with internet access, telephones, and fax machines, and serve as a networking and content hub for journalists based in the various regions. The centres are equipped with the necessary facilities to make gathering news easier for journalists and to allow more timely news coverage in remote areas.

The content centres are usually created in collaboration with other organisations. For example, The Pastoralist Journalism Network (PAJAN) based in Garissa town has been identified as the content centre for the North Eastern Province. PAJAN has a membership of 30 journalists comprised of six women and 24 men. They cover the North Eastern province comprising Wajir, Garissa, Mandera, and Ijara districts. The office has two computers and the 30 journalists share them on 40 minutes-each slot to write and edit their stories. PAJAN also has an audio studio that is used for recording and editing radio programmes.

The Nanyuki content centre, which is hosted by the Mt.Kenya Media Centre, was opened in July 2009. The idea to establish the centre occurred after a training session in Nairobi, organised by African Women and Child Feature Service in collaboration with Kenya Correspondents Association (KCA) in April 2009. Before the content centre was established, the correspondents used cyber cafes to do their work. The centre is equipped with a desktop computer with internet facilities to assist members to disseminate content and to carry out online research. Situated in Nanyuki town, the content centre serves 12 correspondents from Isiolo, Kirinyaga, Nyeri, Meru, and Laikipia districts. All the registered members, who work as correspondents for various media houses, felt it was important to have more media content being generated from the region and disseminated to readers, listeners, and viewers.

The Media Diversity Center also publishes a bi-monthly online newspaper Reject Online. Journalists using the content centres contribute to Reject newspaper, which allows members to create visibility for their communities and themselves, opening more avenues for them to disseminate their stories.

Media Diversity, Media Development