Quality of media serving Somali readers or listeners:

The quality of reporting is often determined by: 1) objectivity of the media, 2) the manner in which the news is reported, 3) target audience, 4) the originality of the news media (that is, does the site copy and paste news, articles and analysis or it publishes original news and articles with original thought, ideology and analysis in a manner unique to the site?) 5) Whether the media editorializes current issues.

While researching this article, I put forward questions about Somali media, journalistic ethics and quality of news reporting to a number of people including members of WardheerNews editorial board. I also forwarded questions to a wide range of media outlets (such as Somaliland times and Hiiraan online) and individuals across the Somali inhabited regions. I will only present herewith only those who responded to my inquiry.

First, Osman Hassan a former BBC journalist who has written extensively about the downfall of the BBC reflected on the issue, his response is as follows:

“What is spectacular about the Somali media is its exponential growth. Over the last two decades - since the collapse of the Somali State and a Somali Diaspora established itself all around the world – Somali internet websites have mushroomed. Apart from few exceptions, the overwhelming majority of the Somali internet websites are clan or regional oriented, and are run by some people who seem to have no appropriate journalistic or media expertise or background. Much as their output is of low journalistic quality, still they have a demand since they cater for a captive readership who are mostly attracted to specific websites by clan or regional loyalty and also because they cherish the focus on clan-related issues. Such websites pay little attention or respect to impartiality, objectivity and fair play. For serious readers looking for an impartial, good quality website, the choice in the end boils down to around few websites.”

As for foreign radios, the BBC Somali Service and VOA’s Somali Programmes are the most prominent. The much vaunted impartiality of the BBC World Service has always been the mantra of its management. Clearly, there is no absolute impartiality and objectivity and everything is relative. The BBC World Service could certainly have claimed in the past to be far more objective than other competing foreign radios like VOA, Radio Moscow, Radio Cairo, etc. But that claim no longer holds. VOA’s Somali Service could rightly claim to be more impartial than its rival, the BBC Somali Service. The fact of the matter is that the hard-earned reputation of the Somali Service since its inception has been squandered since Yusuf Garaad became its head not its Somali listeners but clan and personal interests.”

I asked Ahmed Hassan, an editor and WardheerNews board member of what he thinks of

the Somali media ethics:

“For a people who are born poets with creative minds, and artistic originality, the Somalis of today, especially those who have chosen the field of journalism have sadly abandoned their creative nature for quick copy and paste style that has engulfed the Somali media in general and Somali websites in particular as of late. It’s indeed disconcerting to see quality and originality abandoned for a quick gain.”

The more the merrier, says Syed Ahmed Gashan of Radio Daljir. He adds,“In principle, it’s my view, like any other industry, Somali journalism, which is at its infant rostrum at the moment, shall mature developing inherently self-filtering mechanisms whereby audience shall ultimately demand quality cum balance from their respective news sources, and those which fail, shall cease to operate as an on-going concern whereas others shall pop up in their stead. For instance, the BBC Somali service hardly commands the same audience base as it did a couple of years ago, nor does the VOA Somali service as it did a few months ago; and the same shall apply to other Somali media outlets including radio stations and online bloggers some of whom no longer attract meaningful followship. Here, the more informed the listener, the wider the spectrum, the higher the bar, the less tolerance for mediocrity, and therefore the more critical the reader grows. In other words, a journalist or a news outlet, which neither observes the code of ethics of the profession, nor possesses the essential ingredients of the language, shall willfully not weather the whirling wind”

“Although there is a mushrooming of Somali websites in recent years, they are mostly clan-centered or region-centered and they have neither qualitative orientation nor palatable editorial policy. As a matter of fact, they are mostly a liability rather than an asset." Says Bashir Gardaad, a writer and former senior officer of African development Bank.

Khaliil Hassan WardheerNews editor and an editorial board member expressed his bewilderment as he was one person who suffered in the hands of few websites plagiarizing his work: “It’s at times embarrassing when individual’s article  is plagiarized and posted in other websites with a different name after the author has invested a lot of time and energy to write it. It amazes me even further when I get no response or an apology from the individuals running these websites. While naming names is not necessary at this juncture, it’s extremely dismaying to keep originality when other websites do not respect the code of journalistic ethics that all Somali websites should follow.”

To be continued.