As the temperature of election campaigns rose in Kenya two years ago, Kenyan media was locked in a fierce competition. Referred to as the battle of headline, it was the first of a kind in Kenyan history.

It was as sensational as it could be and involved mainstream print media, hitherto regarded as conservative media compared to the alternative media.

There was cut throat competition to tap readers with screaming headlines some of which did not really reflect the stories behind them.

Some of the headlines read like: Waiting to Explode which in a subsequent edition developed to, Kibaki, Raila rivalry explodes. Do or Die and Billions on Campaign to sample but a few.  

One headline talked of Kibaki Besieged giving the impression that Kenya’s President Kibaki had been surrounded supposedly by armed forces in an attempted coup without a way for escape. That of course was not the case.

Last week, The New Times published  a headline that read "Shun aid” Kagame tells Youth. Then there was a correction from the president’s office the following morning that read "Shun (bad aid). 

They cleared the air on the presidents position on aid where they stated that  Rwanda, along with other less developed countries, need initial and temporary support to build the foundations to enable us, for ourselves, to create prosperity.

Good aid is when for example put differently, Rwanda, along with other less developed countries, need initial and temporary support.

In contrast, bad aid is often tied to vested interests and does little to promote real development.  Little alteration on a sentence can make a very big difference.

Major newspapers should never subscribe to the battle of headlines which we have left to the tabloids or to gutter press.

Most notorious in sensationalism in Kenya is The Standard Newspaper, the oldest newspaper in East, Central and the Horn of Africa launched in 1902.

For long it was the most conservative paper read by the upper class in the society. Nation Newspapers, launched in the 60s then regarded as more liberal newspaper often takes a sober seat although it occasionally publishes screaming headlines to keep up with the tempo.

It is the largest selling newspaper in East Africa with a circulation of 240,000 copies a day. I think part of the reason behind the drastic change in the packaging of news is that young readers are increasingly becoming the consumers of the media products seeking different packaging taste. 

Many are also trying to attract younger readers by shifting the mix of their stories towards entertainment, lifestyle and subjects that may seem more relevant to people’s daily lives than international affairs and politics are.

According to Kennedy Ndahiro, the Executive Editor of The NewTimes Daily, unless there is a major event happening in the country, or something out of the norm then an eye catching headline should not apply.

"Otherwise we have left the screaming headlines to the Tabloids” he said.

"If they want the headlines, give them and it is the headlines that seem to sell anyway.” another Reporter said.

Other observers noted that hard news stories have become more opinionated purported to be explanatory and interpretative journalism.

There is now blurring lines between hard news and opinions in news reports with personal involvement of writers. The alternative press has now become a mainstream media while "formerly” mainstream press is taking a back seat towards becoming the gutter press.

If one was to place Kenya’s newspapers in London streets today, they would be seen to fall in the category of gutter press with their screaming headlines. 

Whereas the alternative press used to be criticized for sensational screaming headlines, the mainstream press has perfected the art of writing sensational headlines.    

Ends