# The Microphone Might Stop Working, But Who Is Going To Answer Your Questions Now?

This is my Opinion

It feels strange when a person you used to hear on television is no longer there. The reason for this strangeness isn't that the space where they were once shown is now empty; rather, it's that those same questions that you heard asked by that person are no longer being asked.

For many years, Yvonne Okwara was far more than simply a familiar presence on Citizen TV. Rather, she embodied what journalists ought to do, challenge those in positions of authority; ensure that individuals holding public office are subject to public oversight; and demonstrate that posing difficult inquiries is not a hostile act against another person but rather a commitment to the public good.

There is something unique about how TV news integrates journalists into our lives. They enter our houses, we hear what they ask and over time we begin to connect their voices with certain times when we have had national discussions. Beneath the well-known face on the screen and the shiny lights of the TV studio, however, is a much larger responsibility; the responsibility to question the truth, disrupt the stories told to us by people in power and hold those who have been given public responsibility accountable.

Okwara accepted the weight of the position she held. The work she produced as a journalist went beyond reporting the news, or developing content for television. She was driven to find answers, demand accountability from officials, and refuse to let the public debate on issues become merely political theater.

The interviewer's function has become more important as political communication becomes increasingly sophisticated. With the use of highly structured language, which often replaces substantial explanations, journalists need to be able to determine whether a person's reply is truly an answer or simply an attempt to evade answering.

That distinction is what makes experienced journalists valuable.

Her leaving therefore gives Kenyan media a troubling prospect - we will probably still have news presenters, well-designed studios, breaking news graphics and prime time programs, but will we also be able to continue having the courage to ask questions that are important?

The concern is not that Citizen TV will be unable to locate an alternative anchor. There has always been an abundance of individuals in news organizations capable of reading scripts, introducing packages, and managing a program's air time. The primary issue for Citizen TV will be to develop and nurture journalists who recognize that their main responsibility is not to the people they interview but rather to the public they provide service to.

A microphone is easy to replace. The courage to use it responsibly is not.

It seems that the departure of Okwara might prompt a more serious discussion about the way that media organizations, journalism students and media institutions reward in their newsrooms. Are we producing journalists who can confidently question authority, or are we producing more and more broadcasters who are comfortable with predictable conversations?

In addition to being a loss for journalism students, such as myself, her departure is a reminder that the profession of journalism requires more than being articulate and seen. Journalism requires the preparation, intellectual curiosity, independence and ability to follow through on difficult questions, even if the answers are unappealing.

There are many generations of young people who want to be journalists watching this change carefully. These individuals should know that the goal of being a journalist is not to make enough money so you can appear on TV, but rather to be credible enough to have people believe what you report on TV.

Yvonne Okwara will likely leave the citizen television newsroom behind, however, her departure does not mean that the questions that she raised in the public eye will stop being asked.

Probably, the most significant way to recognize what she did will not be through numerous farewell messages or through video clips of old interviews. The best way to show how much we appreciate what she did, is by having a media industry that will maintain the same standards that she was known for.

As one reporter finishes up, the next must be ready to step into the role. This does not mean the second reporter needs to speak with the same voice, interview with the same technique, or sit at the same desk. However, it does require that the second reporter understands why the previous reporter asked the questions she did.

The fact that a nation has an increased number of television channels doesn't automatically mean that the citizens of that country will be better informed. Rather, a better-informed nation is one whose journalists are willing to challenge the status quo, whose government institutions are held accountable for their actions, and whose citizens continually demand transparency and accountability from those who govern them.

Yvonne Okwara has left the Citizen TV studio. But the questions remain.

The most important question that will determine how well Kenya's media has been able to report on the issues of today, may be how willing we are to continue asking those questions.

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