Talk Radio and the Public Sphere: Jambo Kenya's Role In
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Talk Radio and The Public Sphere: Jambo Kenya’s Role in Democratization By Joyce R. N. Omwoha Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the degree Doctor of philosophy (Media Studies) Department of Media Studies School of Literature, Language and Media Faculty of Humanities University of the Witwatersrand Supervisors: Dr. Dina Ligaga Prof. Pumla Gqola Johannesburg 2014 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS.................................................................................................... i ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................... iv DECLARATION............................................................................................................... v DEDICATION ................................................................................................................. vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................. vii CHAPTER 1 ..................................................................................................................... 1 Talk Radio and Democracy: Mediating Public Discourses through Jambo Kenya 1.1 Aim of Chapter .................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Background and Research Context ...................................................................... 3 1.4 Talk Radio Show History in Kenya: Jambo Kenya .............................................. 9 1.5 Rationale for Studying Talk Radio Shows in Kenya .......................................... 22 1.6 Research Questions ................................................................................................ 29 1.7 Chapter Outline ................................................................................................. 30 CHAPTER 2 ................................................................................................................... 33 Literature Review & Theoretical Considerations: Talk Radio, Democratic Deliberations and the Critical Appreciation of its role in the Public Sphere 2.1 Aim of Chapter ...................................................................................................... 33 2.2 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 33 2.3 The Media and Democracy .................................................................................... 34 2.4 Theoretical Considerations: Critical Appreciation of Talk Radio’s Role in the ....... 39 Public Sphere............................................................................................................... 39 2.5 Media Commercialization and Balancing Democratization .................................... 45 2.6 Chapter Conclusion ................................................................................................ 48 CHAPTER 3 ................................................................................................................... 49 Research Methodology 3.1 Aim of Chapter ...................................................................................................... 49 3.2 Material and Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Content Analysis ................... 49 3.3 Case Study ............................................................................................................. 51 3.4 Audience Analysis ................................................................................................. 52 3.5 The Research Data and Findings ............................................................................ 54 3.5.1 Sampling Techniques ...................................................................................... 54 3.5.2 Qualitative Interviews ..................................................................................... 55 3.5.3 Content Analysis ............................................................................................. 56 3.5.4 Methods of Data Interpretation ........................................................................ 58 CHAPTER 4 ................................................................................................................... 62 The Production of Jambo Kenya- Structure and Strategies 4.1 Aim of Chapter ...................................................................................................... 62 4.2 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 62 4.3 Jambo Kenya’s Structure and Public Deliberation .................................................. 63 4.4 Creativity through Jambo Kenya’s Signature Tune and Slogan .............................. 68 4.5 News as an Agenda Setter in the Public Sphere ...................................................... 69 4.6 Music in the Public Sphere..................................................................................... 72 4.7 Is Jambo Kenya’s Presenters’ Performance Influencing Public Attitudes and ......... 74 Behaviour? .................................................................................................................. 74 4.8 The Use of Vox Pop in a Democratic Public Sphere ............................................... 78 4.9 The Concept of the Studio Guest: Is the Voice in Kenya’s Public Sphere a Sentinel for Democratization? ................................................................................................... 79 4.10 Irony in the Public Sphere: The Concept of the Trickster Tradition in Talk .......... 82 Radio Programs ........................................................................................................... 82 4.11 Jambo Kenya callers ............................................................................................ 86 4.12 The Contribution of Mobile Telephony to Talk Radio through Text Messages ..... 88 4.13 Chapter Conclusion .............................................................................................. 90 CHAPTER 5 ................................................................................................................... 92 The Significance and Influence of Jambo Kenya on Debates Surrounding Corruption, Power and Good Governance 5.1 Aim of Chapter ...................................................................................................... 92 5.2 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 92 5.3 Does Jambo Kenya’s Content Mediate Issues of Corruption and Power? ............... 93 5.3.1 Agenda 4 Implementation Framework and the New Constitution of Kenya ..... 94 5.3.2 Food Security ................................................................................................ 104 5.3.3 Nepotism....................................................................................................... 108 5.4 The Role of the Civil Society in the Public Sphere ............................................... 112 5.5 Chapter Conclusion .............................................................................................. 115 CHAPTER 6 ................................................................................................................. 117 Formation of Citizenship through Talk Radio Participation 6.1 Aim of the Chapter .............................................................................................. 117 6.2 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 117 6.3 Negotiating Citizenship through Nationhood in Kenya ......................................... 119 6.3.1 Language Use ............................................................................................... 120 6.3.2 Narrative Storytelling Techniques Setting the Scene through Language......... 125 6.4 Formation of Citizenship and Contest through the Mediated Public Sphere .......... 127 6.5 Participation and the Public Sphere: The Right to Achieve Democracy Through .. 134 Talk Radio Participation ............................................................................................ 134 6.6 Chapter Conclusion .............................................................................................. 137 CHAPTER 7 ................................................................................................................. 139 Conclusion: Curbing Centralism through a Mediated Public Sphere REFERENCES .............................................................................................................. 144 APPENDICES............................................................................................................... 170 Appendix I: Top Radio Stations in Kenya .................................................................. 170 Appendix II: Kenya: Popular Radio Stations by Age .................................................. 171 ii Appendix III: Kenya: Popular Stations by Settlement Type........................................ 172 Appendix IV: Kenyan Television Talk Shows ........................................................... 173 Appendix V: Radio Citizen Program line up and Synopsis ......................................... 175 Appendix VI: Summary of Themes and Sub Themes from Jambo Kenya’s Content