An Analysis of the Portrayal of Somalia in the Kenyan Print Media From 2010 to 2013: a Study of the Daily Nation and Standard Newspapers

Abstract

This study examines the portrayal of Somalia by the Kenyan print media for a period of three years. It is expected that the coverage by the two Kenyan newspapers under study, the Daily Nation and The Standard, would be different from the coverage by the international media that has been accused of portraying a negative image of Africa because this would be a case of African media reporting on Africa. This research covered a period of three years between July 2010 and June 2013, analyzing 558 articles published in the weekend editions of the newspapers. It found out that there was no difference in the tone adopted by the two newspapers on Somalia. Majority of the stories are of a negative nature. Very few stories bother to look at the positives amidst the adversity. Most of the stories in the two newspapers during the period revolved around terrorism, piracy, refugees, the war on Al-Shabaab and leadership wrangles among various factions in Somalia. The two newspapers appear to pursue the Kenyan government’s agenda of using every means possible to defeat Al-Shabaab and repatriate Somali refugees