The Contribution of Radio to Conflict Resolution: a Case Study of Radio Amani, Nakuru

Abstract

This study investigated the contribution of Radio to conflict resolution, using the case of Radio Amani in Nakuru County. The study was guided by four specific objectives: to find out how ownership of Radio Amani influences its intervention in reporting conflict, to find out how government regulation of media influences the contribution of Radio Amani to conflict resolution in Nakuru, to find out if the intervention by Radio Amani has influenced the escalation or de-escalation of violent conflict in Nakuru, to find out if Radio Amani faces any hindrances in promoting conflict resolution. The data for this research was collected using questionnaires which were administered to 350 respondents. Data was also collected using interviews, three county administrators, four media practitioners and two representatives of organizations involved conflict resolution initiatives were interviewed. The data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The data was thematically analyzed by classifying major issues covered and recurrent themes and presented in narrative form. The findings of the study were: radio, being an appropriate, cheap and easily accessible medium of passing peace messages, contributes considerably to the de-escalation of conflict and in reducing the frequency of conflict; the ownership of radio greatly influences the contribution of radio to conflict resolution in terms of peace programming and the way radio is perceived by its audience; media regulation has a big influence on the depth and extent to which radio can deal with issues of conflict; radio faces many hindrances in contributing to conflict resolution and for it to contribute significantly to conflict resolution, it must overcome these challenges. The conclusions of the study are that radio can contribute significantly to conflict resolution if media regulation is not a hindrance and if media owners and broadcasting policies of media houses favour programming suitable for conflict resolution. Moreover, radio must overcome financing, technological, staff turnover and qualification challenges as well as collaborate with other stakeholders and government in conflict resolution. Therefore, the study recommends that further research be done on ways in which radio can be harnessed in order to contribute to conflict resolution more effectively, and on how partnerships can be established amongst radio, the government and other stakeholders in conflict resolution. Moreover policies to involve radio in conflict resolution should be formulated and that less restrictive and more enabling media laws be formulated for radio to contribute more significantly to conflict resolution. Furthermore media organizations should give more prominence to conflict resolution issues.