Reporting humanitarian crisis during the post election violence: analysis of print media in Kenya.
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Date
2009-10Author
Ouma, Catherine
Type
ThesisLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The study investigated the role the print media played during the humanitarian
crisis which was caused by Kenya's post election violence. Several literature on
role of media during humanitarian crises situations were consulted most of
which revealed that media plays a positive role of mobilizing humanitarian
assistance during crisis.
Through content analysis, the Nation and the Standard newspaper reports on
the humanitarian crisis were examined, the data obtained was analyzed and
possible explanations for the findings presented. The main finding was that
Kenya's media succeeded to expose the humanitarian issues of water, food,
shelter, security, health and sanitation which they gathered from a wide
variety of sources principally government, experts and persons themselves
affected by the crisis.
The effectiveness of the newspapers in setting a humanitarian agenda was
however reduced by the manner in which the news was presented by the
media. The newspapers gave low importance to the humanitarian information
by presenting it in the less important inside pages and in sizes too miniscule to
attract any serious attention o.f readers and policy makers .
Arising from the literature research and the content analysis findings, the
research made various recommendations on how the media can make
information more salient and prominent in order for humanitarian news to
favorably compete with the myriad of issues that call for our attention at any
given time.
Citation
Masters of Arts Degree in Communication StudiesPublisher
University of Nairobi Department of Arts in Communication Studies
Description
Research project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of Master of Arts Degree in
Communication Studies