Newspaper Audiences’ Gains from Reading News about Parliament in Kenya

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Date
2023
Authors
Kilonzo, Onesmus
Kiilu, Tommy
Githiora, Barnabas
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Reviewed Journal International of Business Management. www.reviewedjournals.com
Abstract
Gate-keeping in journalism is of vital importance in the media environment today. In Kenya, the role of media in the safeguarding of transparency of democratic processes in modern-day politics and society cannot be underestimated. However, in building linkages between the people and their representatives, the gains for audience have remained clouded. This Study sought to analyze the newspaper audiences‟ gains from reading news on Parliament’s activities. The Study was anchored on Habermasian Theory of the Public Sphere as well as the Herman and Chomsky’s ‘Manufacturing Consent – A Propaganda Model’. Constructivist research philosophy adopted a mixed method design in which triangulation of tools was used. This study was conducted within Nairobi County, Kenya. The two main newspapers which were chosen were The Nation and The Standard. The results showed that overall public perception on Parliamentary reporting by print media had a negative score which in quantitative percentages would translate to 37% positive, 11% negative and 52% undecided respondents. The study concluded that Kenyans are not just passive consumers of parliamentary news. Instead, they question - and even react to – news that are likely to have great impact on their lives. The study thus recommended that vernacular newspapers be set up to specifically report on Parliament, so as to enable more people, especially those not conversant with either English or Kiswahili, to understand what happens in Parliament
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Article
Keywords
Propaganda model, fourth estate, parliamentary reporting, Kenya
Citation
KILONZO, O., KIILU, T., & GITHIORA, B. (2023). NEWSPAPER AUDIENCES’GAINS FROM READING NEWS ABOUT PARLIAMENT IN KENYA. Reviewed Journal International of Business Management [ISSN 2663-127X], 4(1), 1-12.