Media Spectacle in Daily Nation and Standard Newspapers and the Case of Former Nairobi Governor, Mike Sonko Mbuvi
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Date
2022Author
Mutunga, Rebecca M
Type
ThesisLanguage
enMetadata
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The main objective of this study was to analyze Media Spectacle in Daily Nation and Standard
Newspapers and using the case of former Nairobi County Governor, Mike Sonko. The study was
anchored by Stuart Hall’s reception theory. The study was guided by the following objectives; to
establish events in 2020 in the Daily Nation and Standard Newspapers that depict former Nairobi
Governor, Mike Sonko as a media spectacle, to assess the prominence given to former Nairobi
Governor, Mike Sonko in Daily Nation and Standard Newspapers that depicts him as a media
spectacle, to identify the ideological standpoints on articles published in Daily Nation and Standard
Newspapers that depict former Nairobi Governor, Mike Sonko as a media spectacle and finally, to
analyze ways in which photos used in Daily Nation and Standard Newspapers depict political
conflict of former Nairobi Governor, Mike Sonko as a media spectacle. The study utilized
descriptive survey research design and mixed research approach. The study population was 184
Newspapers from the Standard Newspapers and the Daily Nation Newspapers in the months of
October, November and December, 2020. The sample size of the study was 65 articles drawn from
both the Standard and the Daily Nation Newspapers. Textual analysis code sheet was used to obtain
data from the published articles and photos on Mike Sonko’s coverage. All articles in the sampled
newspapers published on Mike Sonko were analyzed. Quantitative data was analyzed using
Statistical Package for Social Sciences whereas qualitative data was analyzed using thematic
narratives. Quantitative data was presented in tables and figures whereas qualitative data was
presented in narratives. The study findings were that the newspapers did not cover much on
Sonko’s leadership as Nairobi governor, what he has done for the residents of Nairobi instead they
concentrated on his glitzy lifestyle, flashy clothes and expensive jewelry, how he violated
constitutional laws while forgetting to cover his legacy and achievements in the county thus
depicting him as a media spectacle. The study concludes that Mike Sonko was depicted a media
spectacle by the Standard and Daily Nation Newspapers coverage thus depicting him as liar, a
populist, a corrupt leader, intellectual dwarf, wailing governor and mistaken good hearten man.
The study recommends that the media should not give a wider coverage to an individual at the cost
of other news and events of importance to the economy and livelihood of the country. Lastly, the
study recommends that future research should be done involving Nairobi County Assembly
members, the city hall officers and the residents of Nairobi City County in order to obtain their
ideologies since they worked closely with Sonko.
Publisher
University of Nairobi
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United StatesUsage Rights
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/Collections
- Faculty of Arts [625]
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