Kenya’s Print Media just Discovered Emails

The age of the email peaked several years ago, but it seems to be just the time when Kenyan newspapers are catching up with the email.

In the last few days, I have noticed that the Daily Nation is giving a pop up requesting you to sign up and receive ‘the latest news as it happens’ in your email. It will popup in every page you access until you either sign up or click the tiny ‘I’m not interested’ link.

The standard has also followed suit, desperately asking for your email address and talking of ‘supporting independent journalism.’   

I would not subscribe to any of those. Personally, I do not need any more email into my inbox which I won’t open anyway.

While I did not subscribe, I realized that The Standard went ahead to get my email address from wherever and added me to their mailing list. From the screenshot below, you notice that the email sent was delivered to my Spam folder, and you will also realize that:

• They have a different domain name specifically for sending the daily emails.
• They seemed to have the name blank (Dear ,) but they have the email address.

I know for sure that Standard knows that what they are doing is wrong. I know that they possibly have even my name and it is only that they cannot put it there and claim that they got both the email and name correct erroneously.

Whatever the case, let us welcome the Kenyan print media to the year 2000. In God we trust, everyone else bring data.