An Investigation Into the Extent of Children Content in Kenyan Media: a Case Study of the Nation and the Standard Newspapers

Abstract

News coverage can have a strong influence on how the public and policy makers interpret and respond to social issues. Child related issues require adequate publicity to influence decision makers to address them. This study intended to examine t he coverage of children issues in leading newspapers in Kenya. The aims were to identify the extent, type and level of prominence of issues related to children in both The Daily Nation and The Standard. A content analysis was conducted on children issues in 240 newspapers editions of The Daily Nation and The Standard. The Standard newspaper had more coverage of children issues compared to The Daily Nation. In both newspapers, children issues were located in the middle pages as opposed on front pages or back pages. Children issues were found to have low prominence with most articles appearing as news briefs in both newspapers. There is need to increase coverage of children issues by the leading newspapers to help raise the profile of children in the society. The media should take more responsibility by giving children issues adequate coverage and appropriate prominence so that relevant government and public attention could be directed to address children issues in the society.