Print Media Coverage Of Savings And Credit Co-Operative Societies Issues In Kenya

Abstract

This research was carried out to investigate how print media cover Savings and Credit Co-operatives issues in Kenya. The study analysed newspaper coverage of savings and credit cooperatives in Kenya. The objectives of the study were to determine the frequency of savings and credit co-operatives news coverage in Nation, Business Daily and Standard newspapers, to explore the prominence of stories published about savings and credit co-operatives and to examine the key issues about savings and credit co-operatives in Nation, Business Daily and Standard newspapers. The period of study covered one year from May 1, 2017-April 30, 2018. The research used the Agenda Setting and Framing theory as well as the priming theory. The mixed method approach was used which utilised content analysis and interviews to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. Criterion sampling was used to select 210 articles that were analysed. The data from the content analysis was coded by two coders. Thereafter, a test of reliability was done to establish the level of agreement in the findings between the two independent coders. Purposive sampling was used to select 15 key informants who were drawn from the media and the savings and credit co-operatives sector. The researcher found that Nation newspaper had the highest coverage with 95 stories published. Standard newspaper published 64 stories while Business Daily published 51 stories about savings and credit co-operatives. The study found that stories published seemed few mainly because the media covered politics, since 2017 was an election year. The findings also showed that stories from the sector were inadequately primed. Most stories (72%) were placed in the inside pages of the newspapers while 36% of stories were less than an eighth of a page in length. The study found that Governance and mismanagement issues were primed more by placing these stories on prime pages. To improve on the frequency of stories, the study recommends training of savings and credit co-operatives societies managers on media relations, given that journalists said it was difficult to get information from the sector. To improve on visibility of stories about savings and credit co-operatives, the study recommends that media houses set aside more funds to enable them write longer, more in-depth and analytical stories about the sector.