| dc.description.abstract | This study seeks to identify and critically interrogate the factors that impede
professionalism in Kenyan media. Based on the previous literature on related studies,
the study critically reviews several thematic areas, such as political interference,
obsession with economic returns, media ownership, journalism training, audience
perspective, personnel factor and poor pay. The study is guided by the libertarian
theory of the press and social responsibility theory. It perceives professionalism in
two broad perspectives, namely the independence of the media practitioners to
exercise their skills without interference from internal and external factors as well as
responsibility to societal needs. Its findings are based on information obtained from
media practitioners and stakeholders purposively identified to provide first hand
information on challenges encountered in journalism practice. While the study
confirmed factors identified in earlier studies as impediments to professionalism, it
also focuses on the magnitude. Poor pay and poor training are the most prominent
factors. The study also found out that tribalism is one of the emerging issues in media
practice. | en_US |
