Cross posted from Mentalacrobatics
African blogging pioneers Mshairi and Sokari were interviewed for the Up All Night programme which aired on BBC Radio Five Live last night. They discussed a wide range of issues including; Africa and blogging, the challenges African women face in the blogosphere, as well as what they blog about on their own blogs. The role of the Kenyan Blogs Webring in encouraging Kenyans to blog is also highlighted. Listen here (MP3 file – 8MB – Approx 10 minutes).
Thats great,
Congrat to the two women and those recently featured in kenyan dailies. having said that i am also Calling for comprehensive coverage that is non biased, its very alarming to read that a small clique hogging all the coverage when we have over 160 blogs registered . week in week out we are subjected to highlights from a few chosen few.(most of which have no appeal to the wider masses) Even though I recognize that as the management of kbw you reserve the right to pick and chose whom you highlight, it very unfair for you to keep exposing and featuring 10 or so bloggers simply because they fancy your taste. Therefore I am calling for a more transparent form of representing the Kenyan sphere ,through weekly highlights that is more representative of all members, covering various topics and areas that may not cater to the tastes of kbw management but cover the tastes of visitors to the site . i think by continuing to highlight a small number of people with whom you have developed a liking or relationship is doing a great injustice to both bloggers and readers ,so as i congratulate those who are making a name for themselves i appeal for a change , not so that we too can make a name for yourselves ,but so that we can reach the masses by getting the exposure that lead us to join kbw .
Regards,
joe
Joe,
I am going to respond this in my personal capacity as member of the webring and not as KBW admin.
I started my blog seriously over 5 years ago. I bought my own domain in 2003. The first time I was mentioned in any traditional media as far as I can confirm was in February 2006. Yes, that is right over 5 years.
The first time I was mentioned was because of my coverage on the illegal raid on The EA Standard. Do you seriously think that the Kenyan Blogs Webring has any editorial influence with The Financial Times of London or with The British Broadcasting Corporation? In your eager search for a conspiracy you give us a lot more clout than we have. It just so happened that in the same month The Daily Nation decided to carry an article on Kenyan bloggers. Out of the blue The Daily Nation contacted various bloggers and asked them if they wished to be interviewed. To suggest, before asking those of us who were interviewed, that this selection process was somehow a closed shop controlled by the Kenyan Blog Webring admin team, to me grossly unfair and sour grapes of the highest order. Did you read the article? How many admin members were covered, how many were not? Many people discovered NEW blogs through the article on the Daily Nation. Mr Singer did his own research and decided whom he wanted to include. If that did not include you this time round, pole. SUCH IS LIFE. I am not asking you to do something I would not do. I had a blog for over 5 years before I got mentioned in the media; some people are mentioned in their 1st month. On top of that in The Daily Nation interview and on the BBC interview a lot was made of the Kenyan blogging community! Of KBW and KenyaUnlimited which includes all of us. If we were interested in keeping the light to ourselves why would we push KBW and KUL so hard whenever we had the chance?
We have bloggers who are mentioned in the media regularly. Why not approach them and find out what it is they do that generates publicity? Instead of trying to pull down the media coverage of others, why not pull your blog up if that is what you desire?
There are two members of the admin team and an additional KBW member who is not a member of the admin team who do regular and comprehensive round ups of Kenyan blogs (not just those on the webring) for Global Voices. In addition most of the articles on Kenya on Global Voices are not done by Kenyans but by the Global Voices Africa team. These are people who give up their personal time to generate interest in and recognize fellow Kenyan bloggers. Pushing them on to a bigger stage. Each round up has a massive collection of links of different bloggers. Again, suggesting that there is an agenda by KBW admin to control this is ridiculous. Go have a look at Global Voices and their editorial policy and let me know if you think these are people who can be pushed to follow any agenda.
We have KBW members just like you who write their own round ups of Kenyan blogs and post them here on the Open Blog. They did not wait for us to ask them, they did not need our permission, they just went ahead and did. They are engaging in activity that buildings up their blogging brothers and sisters out of their own free will and maybe because of a sense of responsibility to the Kenyan blogging community. Here is a challenge. Write your own blog round up. The KBW admin team is not here to regulate as enforcers, we want to create the space and opportunity for interaction between bloggers. You have access to this Open Blog read by hundreds of people to post more or less whatever you want. Use it. You have your own blog and access to hundreds of other Kenyan blogs, use that. Write your own round ups and share them with us. That way you highlight the issues you feel are overlooked while building up the community.
Dear Mental
As I write this I stand here in bewilderment at your comments above, this is once again a clear case of someone shooting from the hip, without fully understanding the issue I am trying to address. If you read my comments carefully my dear good sir, you will realize that this is not a case of sour grapes as you put it. It may come as a surprise to you that not all KBW members are here to make a name for themselves , but some of us are here to spread a message ,teach guide and educate .I once again take this opportunity to congratulate those who have been featured in the media. I for one truly believe that when my brothers and sisters are lifted up I too am lifted up.
My comments were not referring the articles you have mentioned but the weekly highlights on this website Kenya unlimited. I was not aware that as a member I could contribute to the weekly round up .Until you mentioned it above I had assumed that the weekly round up was the work of kbw administrators. Having said that I would like to still insist that kbw management carries the burden of responsibility on what we read as weekly round ups if members are not aware that they too could do weekly roundups. Especially when the current roundups are being done by you, one of the administrators and by the few (possibly old school loggers) that know that as members they can post round ups.
Therefore, Mr. Mental I congratulate you again on your mentions and I look forward to many more of your mentions in the press. I will certainly work to bring some light to the majority that is overlooked and un informed of the community privileges and responsibilities within kbw membership. Once again, I call for transparency and may God bless you
Joe
Well then,
On the links in the side menu of this very blog is a link called “About this blog” I suggest you click on it and read it. If a link on this blog telling you, you can post on this blog isn’t transparent enough for you, you will be happy to know that this is not the only time we have told you about the Open Blog policy. When you or anyone else joined the webring we sent you a link to the KBW Newsletter which if you read you would have found that the Open Blog was mentioned extensively. Take responsibility for using the information and tools that are available to you. If you do not read the Newsletter and do not read the “About this blog” link on this very blog then only you are responsible for your lack of the relevant information.
Alternatively you can ask what tools are available to you before throwing around irresponsible accusations.
simce ypou under the impression that i am throwing around irresponsible accusastions, i am going to contact you in private to sort this matter , as i can see you are only trying to save face here .
ps if you go to the said about section as you claim. your so called policy on open blog does not appear.as for news ,letter i can say for certain i have not received any such news letter,maybe you forgot that the rest of us are members and forgot to send it .anyway i will be writing to you complain officially .
simce be writing to you complain officially .
As you seem unable to find the About This Blog page perhaps it would help and would be easier if I just gave you the clear instructions you need to get to the policy page:
1.) The Open Blog is here:
2.) In the side menu you will see a link called About This Blog
3.) Click on that link which I have copied for you here
4.) There you will find the Open Blog policy regarding posting and comments
forget itt consider me no longer a member (out in a huff)