COM 592

Exploring Mass Media

ByHenry NeondoJane Gakaria

Jeremiah Ngondi Loni Carol Semgalawe

Daystar UniversityFebruary 2016

How is Kenyan media categorized? Who owns Kenya’s media? What are the implications of this ownership?

This paper is tasked to look at the subject in three ways1. Major categories and subcategories of media

in Kenya2. Who owns media in Kenya3. Implications of this ownership

Major categories of media in Kenya

The mass media are the entire array of the media specifically envisioned and designed to reach a large audience. Broadly media in Kenya these media falls under;1. Radio (sound format to transmit information), 2. Television (uses visual and audio), 3. Magazines (Weekly, monthly, half-yearly and yearly), 4. Newspapers (Daily, weekly) 5. the World Wide Web (internet).

Major categories cont…

These can further be categories into 1. News media2. Entertainment media 3. Billboards (advertising) 4. Flyers (public relations), and 5. Propaganda6. Social media platforms .

subcategories

In Kenya this can further be narrowed down to 1. National media2. Regional media3. English media4. Swahili media5. Vernacular media

• Then we have in-house• Market-specific • Free promotional• printed sheets that also seek to pass for

newspapers in the urban centre streets.

Media ownership

Media in Kenya is in the hands of;1. Families-Mois, Kenyattas, Kirubis, Macharias

etc2. Individuals 3. Religious groups4. Community groups

Examples• His Highness the Aga Khan-Nation Media Group (NMG); • Former President Daniel Moi’s family and Joshua Kulei-

the Standard Group (SG) through Baraza Limited • Samuel Macharia’s family-Royal Media Services Limited. • Industrialist Chris Kirubi owns the Capital Group, • Mr Patrick Quarcoo and Mr William Pike-Radio Africa

Group (the Star, Classic 105, Kiss FM/TV, East FM, Radio Jambo).

• Kenyatta Family -TV Africa Holdings, (the People Daily, K24 TV station, Kameme FM, Milele FM, Mayian FM and Meru FM.

• Leo Slingerland -Family Radio and Family TV • Joshua Chepkwony- Kass FM and KASS TV

Religious radio eg

• Hope FM• Family FM/TV• Radio waumini • Radio Maria• Bibilia Husema• Iqra FM

Community radios for eg• Kenya Institute of Mass Communication – Nairobi• Koch FM – Korogocho, Nairobi• Maseno University – Maseno• Masinde Muliro University – Kakamega• Pamoja – Kibera, Nairobi• Radio Maria Kenya – Muranga• Ghetto FM – Kawangware, Nairobi• Sidarec – Pumwani, Nairobi• Light FM – St. Paul’s Theological University – Limuru, Nairobi• Others which are members of the the Community Radio Association of Kenya • include:• Bulala FM, Budalang’i, Busia• Serian FM, Maralal, Samburu• Ol toilo le Maa, Suswa, Narok• Mugambo Jwetu FM, Tigania West, Meru• Mang’elete FM, Kibwezi, Makueni• Kangema FM, Kangema, Murang’a• Wajir FM, Wajir.

Implications From the list, it can generally be said that media in Kenya is owned by either political players or their supporters (funders).

The political ownership of media outlets can act against the requirement for a fiercely independent media – especially during election times (Nyanjom, 2012).

The report adds that in the run up to the 2007 general elections, the Kenyan media was seen as partisan--- because of political interference in editorial content.

Implications cont..

This had devastating consequences. Public, private and community media took sides, undermining their objectivity and credibility.

The public received unbalanced and sometimes inappropriate information. The political campaign turned virulent – the media being a platform for accusations and abusive language.

Implications

The prevailing perception has been that Kenyan media’s conduct was a significant trigger for the violence in the 2007 general election (Nyanjom, 2012).

Another key implication is the religious-where religious media houses advocate and evangelise other people by using their media

Third implication is that the narrow media ownership by who is who in Kenya means that there is possibility of sabotaging new entrants in the market. While Kenya has free media it is not however an easy market for new entrants