The family has generally been described as the cell of society, not only because it is the first social contact for a child but also because it is the child’s first school, first clinic and indeed the first church.
This aged long role of the family as the principal educators of children has been threatened by the robust technological advancement in the 21st century. Though imbued with several good things, it has unfortunately affected family life negatively. Apart from distancing family members from themselves, it has gradually usurped the role of parents as educators of the children. Now children learn about themselves and indeed society from television via films, cartoons, adverts etc and the internet via social media, youtube etc.
This isn’t a welcomed development as this can wrongly form the mind-set of the viewers, this consideration is more important when it relates to children since they are gullible, impressionable and easily influenced, so there is need to control and filter what is being viewed.
In this light, Kenya’s Film Classification Board (KFCB) under the leadership of Ezekiel Mutua, is trying to see how the media can promote values which are healthy to both young people and adults.
Firstly, they requested Coca-Cola to revise one of the TV advertisements which had a scene that shows a guy and a lady embracing and kissing in a library, as its airing may affect the morals of young ones. Ezekiel Mutua, the CEO of the KFCB said that “all adverts that air within the watershed period (5am -10pm) must be suitable for family viewing. Content meant for adults whether on radio, TV or film must not be accessed by children.” KFCB chairman Jackson Kosgei stated that they must regulate all the content “that could corrupt the moral values of our children.”
Also the KFCB requested that Google remove a musical video uploaded on Youtube by a Kenyan musical band, Art Attack which seeks to celebrate homosexuality since homosexuality is illegal in Kenya and contrary to their national values.
All these attempts at safeguarding the purity and innocence of the youth is not intended to infringe on people’s freedom of expression nor curtail creativity as proposed in some quarters, neither is it hypocritical rather it is aimed at safeguarding and promoting the family values which Africans cherish a lot and want to protect from attack. The effect of the breakdown in family and family values in Europe and America has been disastrous and African would not want to be stupid to follow the same path.
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