Date of Award
2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Digital Journalism (MADJ)
First Supervisor/Advisor
Prof. Nancy Booker
Second Supervisor/Advisor
David Aduda
Department
Graduate School of Media and Communications
Abstract
One of the major issues facing media managers and many newsrooms today is the retention of journalists. It requires action to motivate journalists to stay at the company longer. On the other hand, firms utilize creative methods to retain top talent due to fierce rivalry in the job market. The activities in newsrooms are impacted because many seasoned journalists have left for alternative careers. This study analyses the status of journalism following the transitions of seasoned journalists from newsrooms in Kenya. It also examines adjusting mechanisms adopted by newsrooms to maintain the quality of journalism after the departure of seasoned journalists and strategies used to retain seasoned journalists in newsrooms. Using the qualitative research method and based on KnowledgeBased View Theory, which established the quality of is affected, especially on the news content side of it journalism changes because it takes longer for some news segments to be delivered. Also, the study analysed the mechanism newsrooms use to ensure there is little or no disturbance to workflow. This study also examined the effectiveness of newsroom retention methods to retain journalists and identified necessary measures to prevent a mass exodus. Such departures result in the loss of talented individuals, leaving the newsroom in a state of orphaned expertise. Following the interviews, the main findings noted included a decline in the quality and quantity of journalism, particularly in content. This decline is attributed to the departure of experienced journalists, resulting in losing key source contacts, as they may not be shared with new personnel. Additionally, the high volume of assignments and long working hours decrease the quality of content. This, in turn, hinders the production of impactful pieces such as investigative reports, as there are few individuals burdened with a significant workload. This factor affects the quality and quantity of journalism and may also cause a reduction of audiences, hence loss of revenue streams in the industry.
Recommended Citation
Bekidusa, A. (2024). An analysis of status of journalism following transitions of journalists from newsrooms in Kenya (Unpublished master's dissertation). Aga Khan University, East Africa.