An Analysis of the Representation of Children's Issues in Kenya’s Print Media: A Study of the Nation Newspaper In 2016

Abstract

This study analysed the representation of children's issues in Kenya’s print media, focusing on Nation Newspaper for the year 2016. The objectives of the study were to evaluate the frequency given to children’s issues reporting, assess children’s stories that received more coverage over others in the Nation Newspaper, and evaluate how frequent children were quoted in stories that were about them in the Nation Newspaper in 2016. The research used agenda setting and framing theory. The study used content analysis to collect data which enabled a direct look at key issues relating to how the issues of children were represented in news via print media. The research findings revealed that children issues were given more prominence and frequent in the months when the schools were in session, that is, January to March, May to July and September to November. From the findings, education issues received the most coverage of all the newspaper articles that were analysed at 40.4%. The study revealed low frequency of children as source of information since only 11.5% of all the stories analysed had quotes from children. The study concluded that the frequency given to children issues reporting was periodical-high when the schools were in session compared to when the children were on school holiday. The study recommends journalists to undertake a personal responsibility of regularly doing well researched feature stories focusing on children. Further comparative study could be done to establish differences in the coverage patterns of children stories in other newspapers in Kenya.