Desire for foreign accents stymies local content.... forget that some have never tracelled out of the country.
The desire for hollywood content and media personalities with foreign accents has led to low local content in African media.
Wachira Waruru, Royal Media Services managing director told the Pan African Media Conference that television stations in Kenya are flooded with foreign content that does not add value to African culture.
“It is sad to say but our media owners are the biggest obstacles to the development of local content on our screens,” said Waruru, who heads the media house with the highest local television content in Kenya (Citizen TV).
Regarding appreciation of the local people, Waruru said media houses hope to appear "more sophisticated" employing individuals with foreign accents.
“We do not need hollywood to survive; let us refocus our energies on developing local content for our viewers and listeners for this is where the future of this industry lies,” he said
Waruru was speaking at a breakfast session on culture and open doors; other parallel sessions included topics in New Media, reporting change and crisis in Africa and environment, media and Africa's responsibility.
Comments:
10 08 2010 James NgugiOur local media has been turned to a 'west' media culture. We have totaly forgotten what it is to be African, Kenyan.In greatest of respect, the media has failed us. The current generation hadly knows of a time when tradition was the only thing known. They have copied the west, and clearly as you look around, hollywood has taken over.From the dressing, language, behaviour to every aspect of life Africanism has been overthrown.
I commend Mr. Wachira Waruru on his effort to back sanity to the media by heading the highest local television content in Kenya (Citizen TV). Thank you.
