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An Assessment of Community Radio in the Context of Rural Development in Kenya

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An Assessment of Community Radio in the Context of Rural Development in Kenya AN ASSESSMENT OF COMMUNITY RADIO IN THE CONTEXT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN KENYA JAMES PHARAOH OCHICHI K90/92842/2013 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PHD) IN COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION STUDIES IN THE SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATION, UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI DECEMBER 2014 DECLARATION This thesis is my original work and has not been presented to any other university for a degree. Any work done by other people has been duly acknowledged. It has been examined by a board of examiners of the University of Nairobi. ___________________________________ ________________________ JAMES PHARAOH OCHICHI DATE This thesis has been presented to the University of Nairobi with our approval as the supervisors. ________________________________ ______________________ PROF. ROBERT WHITE DATE ________________________________ _____________________ DR. HEZRON MOGAMBI DATE ii DEDICATION My family, for their support and encouragement iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT My sincere thanks go to my supervisor, Prof. Robert White, and the director of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Dr. Wambui Kiai, for their guidance. A note of gratitude goes to my second supervisor, Dr. Hezron Mogambi, for his motivation. I am also grateful to the 2011 PhD cohort: Silas Oriaso and Sam Kamau (now PhD holders); James Oranga, Samson Osanya, Charles Owino and Dorothy Omollo. Their ideas proved very valuable to me. I also benefitted from the generosity of Prof. Peter Kareithi, Joel Ngetich, Collins Wagumba, Moses Araya and Isaac Lagama. While Ngetich and Wagumba assisted me to acquire certain rare reading materials, Araya and Lagama proved reliable linkmen. Prof. Kareithi of Pennsylvania State University Harrisburg, USA provided not only reading materials that were very useful, but also offered me very pertinent advice. However, without the cooperation of the following station managers, editors and presenters of the community radio stations I studied, frankly this work would not have become a reality: Peter Kaleke, Francis Sintei Supeyo and Musa Lakanet of Radio Oltoilo Lemaa; Mosly Njoga of Gulf Radio; Yonah Mandu of Sahara Radio; George Mwamodo and Solomon Muingi of Radio Mwanedu; Simon Nyang’au of Kisima Radio; Seth Oloo and Javan Onano of Radio Lake Victoria; Meshack Nyamai and Esther Mbole of Radio Mang’elete; and Reuben Mukindia of Mugambo Jwetu Community Radio. Further, I am deeply indebted to the development officers of Homa Bay, Kisumu, Makueni, Meru, Narok, Nyamira, Taita Taveta and Vihiga counties. Their work enriched this study a great deal. Furthermore, I am appreciative of the efforts of Mr. Zachary Chililswa of Hekima College and Njuki Githethwa and Faith of Kenya Community Media Network (KCOMNET). For sure, many people, including my family, students and lecturers of Kenya Institute of Mass Communication, contributed to this work in one way or another; their assistance is priceless. It is impossible to remember each and everyone who gave me a hand; but let me unreservedly register my sincere thanks to all of them. For any shortcomings in this study, I am entirely to blame. iv ABSTRACT This study was motivated by the fact that there were over 30 community radio (CR) stations in Kenya, and yet nearly all the areas covered by these stations were beset by a myriad of socio-economic, environmental, political and other problems, thus raising a pertinent question: Were these stations operating the way real CR ought to, leading their broadcasting communities into addressing their socio- economic, environmental and political problems, but these problems existed because of other factors? Or, were these stations just commercial, but masquerading as CRs? The study was therefore necessitated by this inquisitiveness: wanting to know whether CR played its rightful role, or whether something else was to blame for the state of affairs in many rural communities ravaged by all sorts of developmental problems. The study hence sought to assess the contribution of CR for rural development in Kenya. The study employed cross-sectional mixed method design and the theoretical framework was participatory communication. Data collection was in two stages. The first stage saw data collected from eight CR stations selected through multi-stage (cluster) sampling. The data gathered, studied and analysed informed the next stage in which four CR stations: two “successful” and two “unsuccessful” were selected from the eight for further study. A facilitative model of CR constructed by this study and factors influencing a successful CR, as espoused by various scholars, were used to rank the CR stations as “successful” and “unsuccessful”. Whereas in-depth interviews and direct observation methods were used in the first phase, data gathering techniques employed in the second phase were focus group discussions and survey. Quantitative and qualitative data were analysed using both quantitative and qualitative techniques and then presented in tables and narrations, indirect and direct speech. The findings of the study established that CR in Kenya had made a moderate contribution in rural development. The study concluded that the stations failed to foster participatory development and programmes were produced by the CR staff, without incorporating the efforts of the communities. However, to some extent, the stations facilitated the process of sharing of development information. The recommendations included: enhancement of community participation in programme production and in the management of the stations; creation of a strong network of CRs in Kenya; the focus of CR be on a small area, preferably 50 square kilometres; production of more interactive programmes; and carrying out of research to inform programme-making. The beneficiaries of the study would be policymakers, CR practitioners and the academia. v ABBREVIATION AND ACRONYMS ACDM: Africa Community Development Media AMARC: World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters CDF: Constituency Development Fund CCK: Communications Commission of Kenya CR: Community Radio CRAK: Community Radio Association of Kenya CRs: Community Radio Stations DFRD: District Focus for Rural Development FGDs: Focus Group Discussions HIV/AIDS: Human Immunodeficiency Virus/ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome ICT: Information, Communications and Technology KMNET: Kenya Community Media Network KMD: Kenya Meteorological Department M & E: Monitoring and Evaluation NGO: Non-governmental Organization NIB: National Irrigation Board OALD: Oxford Advanced Learners’ Dictionary PC: Participatory Communication PD: Participatory Development PDC: Participatory Development Communication PRD: Participatory Rural Development SWOT: Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats UNESCO: United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organization UNHCR: United Nations High Commission for Refugee vi TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION........................................................................................................................... ii DEDICATION.............................................................................................................................. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ........................................................................................................... iv ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................... v ABBREVIATION AND ACRONYMS ...................................................................................... vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................... vii LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................ x LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................... xii ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE STUDY ........................................................ xiii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................... 1 1.1 Outline................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Background to the Study ....................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Problem Statement ................................................................................................................ 3 1.4 General Objective ................................................................................................................. 4 1.5 Research Questions ............................................................................................................... 4 1.6 Significance of the Study ...................................................................................................... 5 1.7 Rationale of the study ........................................................................................................... 7 1.8 Scope or Delimitations .......................................................................................................... 9 1.9 Limitation of the Study ......................................................................................................... 9 1.10 Definition of Key Terms ................................................................................................... 11 1.11
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