New York Times has been on the receiving end for sometime since the publication of the photographs of the people who were brutally attacked after the Dusit attack.
The war is now overboard and has transversed beyond twitter.
The photograph shows the aftermath of a terrorist attack at a luxury hotel in Nairobi, Kenya. Laptops and plates are still on the table, and four people are hunched over, bloodied and lifeless.
Almost immediately after The New York Times published the graphic image on its website, there was outrage in Kenya. Many people in a country coming to terms with Tuesday’s horrific attack felt disrespected, and publication of the photo has sparked discussion about journalism ethics, media freedom and racism during coverage of such events.
The Media Council of Kenya, which issues accreditation to all journalists in the country, gave The New York Times a 24-hour ultimatum: Either remove the picture and issue an apology or lose your accreditation.
“The MCK’s position is that your publication was in bad taste, disrespectful to the victims and families of the affected victims in addition to being unprofessional,” the council’s chief, David Omwoyo, wrote.
@mediacouncilk today officially wrote a protest note to @nytimes over it's coverage of #riversideattack pic.twitter.com/w27B20f73W
— Media Council of Kenya (@MediaCouncilK) January 17, 2019
In a letter responding to the Media Council, the Times stood its ground. Phil Corbett, associate managing editor for standards, explained that the Times has indeed made tough choices and published “similar painful photos” from around the world.
“Again, we are very sympathetic to the pain of those affected in Nairobi, and we understand that many reasonable people disagree with our decision to publish these photos,” Corbett wrote. “But I hope to assure you that we take this responsibility seriously, and are guided by our mission to help readers see and understand the world.”