Abstract

The objective of this paper is to examine the perception of audiences on the coverage of climate change stories in the Kenyan print media. To guide the study, the research question was: what is the perception of newspaper audiences on the coverage of climate change stories in the Kenyan print media? The study utilized a qualitative research method and employed a phenomenological research design. A purposive sampling technique was used to select a sample size of 30 participants. Data was collected through in-depth interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. The study findings reveal that audiences prefer climate change stories to be published on visible newspaper pages such as front pages. Moreover, the study shows that the two leading print media outlets in Kenya do not prioritize environmental stories in terms of spatial coverage and frequency of publication, as perceived by the audience. The study concludes that the Kenyan print media practice slanted reporting and do not prioritize environmental issues such as climate change in their publication. It is recommended that further investigation be conducted to identify the factors that influence story selection and publication in the print media.

Key Words: Print Media, Climate Change, Social Responsibility Theory, Newspaper Audience.

About the Authors

*      Michael Otieno Otieno, ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4654-5802, is a postgraduate student of Journalism and Mass Communication at Egerton University, Kenya. He also serves as a part-time lecturer at the Department of Communication, Presbyterian University of East Africa, Nakuru Odel Center. His research interests revolve around Environmental Journalism and Climate Change Communication, Social Media and New Media, and the intricate relationship between Journalism, Human Rights, and Social Justice.

**    Josephine Mulindi Khaemba, Ph.D., ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0431-6905, is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Literature, Languages and Linguistics, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Egerton University, Kenya. Her primary areas of research expertise encompass Linguistics and Language Teaching, Critical Discourse Analysis, Qualitative Approaches to Research, Gender Issues, Culture and Communication, Media Studies, and Public Relations.

***  Lydia Ayako Mareri, Ph.D., is a Lecturer in the Department of Literature, Languages, and Linguistics, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Egerton University, Kenya. She holds a Ph.D. in Communication & Media from Kisii University, Kenya, as well as a PhD in Management and a Masters of Arts in Education (Applied Linguistics) from the University of Southampton, England. Her research interests encompass Media Influence, Media Effects, and Public Relations.

^JCMR Journal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 2023, pp. 156-166.

© Association of Media and Communication Researchers of Nigeria (AMCRON).

Article Citation

Otieno, M. O., Khaemba, J. M. & Mareri, L. A. (2023). Experiences and perceptions of selected newspaper readers on coverage of climate change issues in the Kenyan print media. Journal of Communication and Media Research, 15 (2): 156-166.

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