PRINT MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE LAND REFORM AGENDA DURING ELECTIONS IN KENYA: A COMPARATIVE CONTENT ANALYSIS OF THE STANDARD AND NATION NEWSPAPERS

ABSTRACT
This study analysed how the print media, The Standard and The Daily Nation newspapers, covered the land reform agenda during the general elections in Kenya. The main objective of this study was to explore how The Daily Nation and The Standard covered land reform agenda issues during the general election campaign periods in Kenya in 2002, 2007 and 2017. The study also aimed to find out how issues of land were framed and communicated to the public through the media. It is guided by the framing, agenda setting and social construction theories of communication. Quantitative approach was used through employment of content analysis of both The Standard and Daily Nation as a research method. A total of 568 editions published within the election campaign period for the three election cycles were purposively sampled for all stories concerning the land reform agenda. Key findings of the study were that newspaper coverage of the land reform agenda during the election campaign period has increased over the years from 2002 and was highest in 2017. The conversations and framing of the land reform agenda have greatly taken a shift from the being frequent and emotive to being tempered and addressing key matters pertaining to the land question on land ownership, matters of historical injustices and issuance of title deeds, among others, which constitute accomplishment of the land reform agenda. The study concludes that the print media is an effective platform for the dissemination of issues on the land reform agenda which is a key development issue. The study recommends that, mainstream print media should continue covering development issues like the land reform agenda as they act as important sources of information and agents of change and reform.