Effective Environmental Reporting in Kenya: a Content Analysis of the People Daily Newspaper.
Abstract
Past studies conducted to analyze environmental articles in the mass media found that
they tended to present superficial and inadequate stories on the environment (l 'NIP
1988, Ozoh 1992, Nyirenda 1992, Kaberia 1991).
Kenyan journalists attending a workshop on "Training of Environmental Journalists"
(Karembu 1999) gave responses that showed they lacked in-depth knowledge of
environmental issues. Apart from missing out on the global environmental concerns- they
also failed to link environmental conditions to socio-economic issues.
Similar observations have held that the mass media have carried over their traditional
preference for sensationalism into environmental reporting. Consequently, (Lumbe 1999)
notes that the media today deals too much with environmental problems and too little
with solutions.
In this study we have conducted a content analysis of the weekly Environment pages of
the People Daily between January to June 2001. Investigations focused on balanced
reporting of environmental issues, linking of <f11Vironmental problems with socioeconomic
issues and provision of solutions.
Citation
Postgraduate Diploma In Mass CommunicationPublisher
University of Nairobi School Of Journalism, University of Nairobi, 2000