Print Media Coverage of Exploitation and Abuse of Kenyan Migrants Working in Gulf Countries

Abstract

The current study sought to investigate the print media’s coverage of the plight of Kenyan workers in the Gulf Countries. In order to realize the aim, the study relied on a sample of fifty newspaper stories that were in the Daily Nation Newspaper between 2014 and 2016. The period was deemed critical in highlighting recent trends on the issue. Depending on a qualitative study approach, the study used the purposive sampling method to identify the units of analysis. In particular, only units that had stories on domestic worker exploitation from the period over the specified period of time were selected. In the analysis of the data, the present project employed content analysis. Through the use of content analysis, data was summarized in an easy format. Based on the analysis, the study found that the framing of the stories took a negative approach. The results show that 88% of the stories were framed in a negative manner. In addition, many of the stories (86%) covered were in the body section but in the first ten pages of the newspapers. the selection of sources of information was also biased leading to the inference that the newspaper stories lacked objectivity in their reporting. The sources of the stories were largely drawn from narrations of returning victims of abuse and their families. It is however, observed that the study only concentrated on only the Daily Nation newspaper. Behind this backdrop, the study recommends additional research, preferably, a comparative one to facilitate cross comparisons. In addition, news reporters, the stories would be reliable if they were based on objective reporting