An analysis of newspaper coverage of far-flung counties in Kenya

Author

Galgallo Duba Fayo, Aga Khan University

Date of Award

2-2023

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism (MADJ)

First Supervisor/Advisor

Hesbon Owilla

Department

Graduate School of Media and Communications

Abstract

This study explored how the Kenyan Print Media covers far-flung counties, with a case study of Marsabit, Turkana and Mandera counties. The following research objectives guided the study: (i) To analyse the prominence of Marsabit, Turkana and Mandera Counties issues by the Daily Nation and The Standard (ii) To determine the frames that the Daily Nation used and The Standard in coverage of issues from far-flung counties and (iii) To analyse the extent to which stories from the three counties published by the publications draw from local sources and realities. The two newspapers were selected from the population of 44 newspapers published in Kenya. The study adopted a quantitative research approach and employed descriptive content analysis to analyse all the editions of the Daily Nation and The Standard newspapers published in the calender year 2020. The findings indicate that the two newspapers gave low prominence to the stories from the far- flung-counties; framed the stories along both fear and hope, with a slightly higher proclivity to framing stories along fear, horror and threats. The findings further indicate that stories from far-flung counties were told more from the voices of other sources and elites, with fewer instances of the local people as sources. The study further revealed that majority of the actors in the stories from far-flung counties are non-locals. The study recommends that the publishers of newspapers in Kenya explore modalities that can encourage coverage of these regions along frames and on issues that would address the economic and developmental challenges from the local perspective. The researcher further recommends that future studies focus on the viable options that newspapers can employ to increase the coverage in this area, specifically focusing on commercial viability and development.

Recommended Citation

Fayo, G. D. (2023). An analysis of newspaper coverage of far-flung counties in Kenya (Unpublished master's dissertation). Aga Khan University, East Africa.