Radio Listening Habits among Rural Audiences: An Ethnographic Study of Kieni West Division in Central Kenya A dissertation presented to the faculty of the Scripps College of Communication of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy George W. Gathigi August 2009 © 2009: George. W. Gathigi. All Rights Reserved. This dissertation titled Radio Listening Habits among Rural Audiences: An Ethnographic Study of Kieni West Division in Central Kenya by GEORGE W. GATHIGI has been approved for the School of Media Arts and Study and the Scripps College of Communication by Steve Howard Professor of Media and Arts and Studies Gregory J. Shepherd Dean, Scripps College of Communication ii ABSTRACT GATHIGI, GEORGE W., Ph.D., August 2009, Mass Communication Radio Listening Habits among Rural Audiences: An Ethnographic Study of Kieni West Division in Central Kenya (339 pp.) Director of Dissertation: Steve Howard In the 1990s, the liberalization of the media industry in African countries such as Kenya was faced with the challenge of continuing to provide much-needed information to the African population. One segment of particular interest in Kenya was the rural audience that makes up 80% of the country’s population. This is a research on the role of radio in rural listeners’ everyday lives within a liberalized media environment. Using the media ethnography method, I examined the radio consumption habits of rural people of the Kieni West Division, Nyeri District, Kenya. How do they choose content from the stations that are available? What type of content do they seek and how does this relate to their daily lives? Data was collected using interviewing, focus-group discussions and observation methods. In addition, documents relating to radio broadcasting in Kenya were analyzed. This research found that radio is the most important and accessible medium in Kieni West and that vernacular radio stations are the most preferred ones. Kieni West listeners use radio to obtain information about what is happening locally and beyond. They use radio to access information on health and agriculture. In addition, listeners rely on radio for social interactions, civic engagement, and as a platform where they can take some of their problems and seek solutions. This research concludes that media liberalization and commercialization of radio in Kenya has led to a number of outcomes iii to rural listeners. These include emergence of a competitive radio industry that provides multiple outlets and a wide variety of content from which people can choose. Secondly, the rise of vernacular radio stations has provided access to broadcasting in various local languages which allows for diverse content to a wide section of the population. Vernacular stations demonstrate sensitivity to the needs of rural audiences and therefore higher acceptance. Approved: _____________________________________________________________ Steve Howard Professor of Media and Arts and Studies iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am grateful to my advisor Dr. Steve Howard for being helpful in many significant ways. He found time whenever I needed him and guided me painstakingly through my doctoral program. Thank you for encouraging me to pursue the doctorate and helping access the necessary funds. I am particularly indebted to the Center for African Studies for providing me with funding through a teaching assistantship and two summer travel scholarships. I also thank the school of Media Arts and Studies for being my academic home and providing me with research funds as well as teaching opportunities. Many thanks to my committee Dr. Duncan Brown, Dr. Phyllis Bernt, and Dr. Diane Ciekawy for smoothly guiding me through the many program processes and their academic support and contribution to my intellectual development. I owe many thanks to my mentor Dr. Kimani Njogu for challenging me to greater achievement. You encouraged me to pursue graduate studies and went out of your way to support me through the years. I am also grateful to my colleagues at Twaweza Communication and Africa Health and Development International (AHADI) for making me feel at home every time I have returned to Kenya. Thanks to Dr. David Mould, the Dean of Research, Scripps College of Communication and former Director, Communication and Development Program for advising me during the Master’s program. I would like to thank Dr. Arvind Singhal and Dr. Rafael Obregon for guiding me in the development communication field and to Drs. Peter Githinji and Evan Mwangi for their support. Thanks to the faculty of Media Arts and Studies (MEA) for imparting a wide range of knowledge to me. v I am grateful to my family whom I owe everything, especially to my parents Gathigi Gathuka and Lucy Njoki. Thank you for your invaluable sacrifices to make sure I got a good education, for believing in, loving, and encouraging me. I can never pay you back. To all my sisters, brothers, nephews and nieces who have cheered me on, you made me strong through your patience, support, and understanding at all times. During my stay at Ohio University, I have had wonderful friends and colleagues with whom we have weathered graduate-school life and challenges. Among many, thanks to Ernest Waititu for welcoming me at Athens and being a steadfast friend all along. Thank you for suggesting Kieni West as a possible site of study and facilitating my research in countless ways. Thanks to all friends and colleagues with whom we have shared ideas. To all those who have taken their time to read some of my drafts and made valuable comments, I appreciate it. This research would not have been possible without the input of people of Kieni West who shared wide range of ideas, graciously welcomed me and allowed me to intrude their privacy, share a cup of tea and a plate of food. Your generosity touched me immensely. I am indebted to my research assistant Mr. Joseph Wanjohi and his family, to Ms. Teresah Wangechi and her family and many people who took their time to answer my non-ending questions. My thanks also go to media professionals in Kenya who opened their doors and allowed me to gain information on their stations. My work would not have been possible without their contribution. Special thanks to Kamau Gikonyo, James Thuo, and Muiruri Gikonyo. And to everyone whom I could not name, all your contribution and support are acknowledged. vi DEDICATION I dedicate this dissertation to my childhood friends whose dream of education was never fulfilled due to lack of opportunities. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................................. v DEDICATION .................................................................................................................. vii LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................... xiv LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................... xv CHAPTER ONE: THE KENYAN MEDIA INDUSTRY .................................................. 1 Road to research and the challenges ............................................................................... 1 The challenge of choosing the topic in a changing media and political environment .... 2 Negotiating the term “vernacular” .................................................................................. 4 An overview of radio in Kenya ....................................................................................... 7 Broadcasting media in Kenya: A historical perspective ............................................. 8 Development of media in Kenya from 1927-1990 ................................................... 11 The print media ......................................................................................................... 15 Why is radio relevant? .................................................................................................. 17 Importance of the study ................................................................................................ 20 Statement of the problem .............................................................................................. 26 Research questions ........................................................................................................ 27 Classifying radio in Kenya ........................................................................................... 28 Classification based on broadcasting philosophy and funding: Public, commercial, and community radio ................................................................................................ 29 State-controlled public service radio stations ....................................................... 29 viii Commercial radio stations .................................................................................... 32 Community radio stations ..................................................................................... 34 Classification using language: Mainstream and vernacular stations ........................ 36 Mainstream radio stations ..................................................................................... 36 Vernacular radio stations ...................................................................................... 37 Classification