Kenya boots CNN for reckless reporting

‘HOTBED OF TERROR’ PROMPTS SUSPENSION OF PR DEAL

(Posted 07th August 2015)

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The Kenya Tourist Board yesterday confirmed that the PR deal with CNN International, which was to run for an entire year, was suspended over the damage caused by their domestic sister network which portrayed Kenya as a ‘Hotbed of Terror’, prompting this correspondent to call the channel a ‘Hotbed of Error’.

The remarks prior to the visit of US President Obama caused fury and a social media storm against CNN which in the past had on many occasions made geographical errors in their reporting about Kenya and East Africa, prompting calls to have the deal axed.

A wide section of the Kenyan tourism private sector had already quietly voiced their concern over the choice of channel anyway, some over the huge cost and others over the intended reach into not just the global but also emerging and new markets, where other channels like Al Jazeera appear to have a much wider audience.

Usually well informed sources from Nairobi have suggested that while Kenya has now slammed the brakes on the deal does CNN appear to want to hold on to the payments already made, which may very well end both parties either in court or in arbitration.

The sentiments from Kenya are understandable as the allegations made by the US domestic network were entirely unfounded and outright damaging for Kenya’s reputation, when the anchor suggested that Kenyan officials had leaked crucial security details of the Obama visit. This however turned out to be the required NOTAM the airport in Nairobi had to publish over the airspace and airport closure prior to Air Force One landing and taking off, a regulatory requirement for the aviation industry.

Meanwhile though is the market gaining momentum again after bottoming out during the first half of the year. Additional charter flights from Italy have given the coast a boost and key UK tour operators have committed themselves to push sales from next month onwards with the aim to also resume charter flights as soon as possible.

For now it is bouquets for Kenya and KTB for taking a stand and mega barbs for CNN’s reckless reporting.