State pressure, economic coercion strain Kenya's media industry

Journalists protest along Kenyatta Avenue in Nakuru town to mark World Press Freedom Day in 2018. [File, Standard]

In recent times, the media's role as the fourth estate, wielding its watchdog function to scrutinise government actions, has encountered a mounting challenge from government officials, posing a potential threat to its credibility.

This development can gradually erode the media's standing, creating an environment ripe for the proliferation of misinformation, propaganda and the potential to erode democratic values.