The purpose of this study was to establish the impact of print media on the East African Integration. It was guided by five objectives which aimed at establishing the amount of coverage that print media gives to EAC issues, determining the issues given priority by the print media as regards EAC, establishing how print media frames issues related to EAC, establishing the accuracy, framing and balancing coverage of the East African Integration. The literature review for the study focused on such things as the integration of the African continent in general. The idea of integration has been encouraged by rapid spread of globalization which is forcing many countries of the world to come together to form regional blocks for closer cooperation in trade issues among others.
The agenda setting theory was advanced to explain the role of print media in the integration process. The study results validated all that is advocated by the agenda setting theory. The study used content analysis as a survey design. This entailed analyzing the contents of the articles dealing with East African Integration. In general the study shows that the print media as presented by The East African has a positive influence on issues of integration. Some of the articles published by the newspaper shows that trade, the economy, education, infrastructure and the common market protocol have benefited a lot from integration efforts.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.0 Background
1.1 Statement of the Problem
1.2 Justification of the Study
1.3 Objectives
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Assumptions of the Study
1.6 Significance of the Study
1.7 Limitations of the Study
1.8 Definition of Terms
1.9 Chapter Outline
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 Introduction
2.1 African Integration
2.2 Regional Integration in East Africa
2.3 The Role of Communication in African Integration
2.4 The Role of Communication in East African Integration
2.5 The Structure of Print Media in East Africa
2.6 Theoretical Framework
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH AND METHODOLOGY
3.0 Introduction
3.1 Research Design
3.2 Unit of Analysis
3.3 Sample and Sampling Procedure
3.4 Coding Procedures
3.5 Data Analysis
CHAPTER FOUR: ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA
4.0 Introduction
4.1 General Information on Various Articles
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 Introduction
5.2 Issues given priority by print media as regards EAC and how they are framed
CHAPTER SIX: DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
6.0 Introduction
6.1 Summary
6.2 Conclusions
6.3 Recommendations
Research Objectives and Themes
This study aims to critically evaluate the influence of print media on the East African Community (EAC) integration process. The core research objective is to investigate how print media reports, frames, and prioritizes integration-related issues, and to assess whether this coverage effectively facilitates public awareness and citizen participation in the regional integration project.
- The role of print media in shaping public opinion and agenda-setting for regional integration.
- Assessment of print media content regarding EAC issues, including accuracy and balance.
- Analysis of how specific topics like the Common Market Protocol, political federation, and economic integration are framed.
- The influence of media coverage on citizen awareness and the potential for a regional identity.
- The intersection of media commercialization and its impact on the quality of political and social reporting.
Excerpt from the Book
The Role of Communication in East African Integration
Nyambuga (2008), is quoted as saying “among the most cited reasons for the importance of mass media to a society, two stand out: that media are the source of the information people need to make informed choices and decisions and that they serve as the channel through which mass communication is achieved.” He goes further to say that the media in East Africa is mostly nationally oriented with most news and editorials targeted at the national audience. The EastAfrican published by the Nation Media group has taken the integration process seriously as it has needs covering all the East African Countries. The media has a significant role to play particularly in providing important information and analyses upon which people can base their decisions and choices. It has the capacity to help in the formation of public opinion by setting and building public agenda (McCombs and Shaw, 1972; Lang and Lang, 1983; Dearing and Rogers, 1996), and providing the platform or arena (Habermas, 1989, 1962) through which this can be achieved. The media can also help to mobilize action or activity on various issues by offering reportage and analyses of events and information relating to the EAC and the integration process (Protess et al., 1991).
Nyambuga, (2008) feels that the media can only play a limited role in the integration process. This is because of different laws and policies among member states, disparities in national political and economic achievements. Despite this opinion, the media is one of the actors that are considered key to regionalism and integration. The media will help in disseminating ideas of how the regional body works and what benefits accrue to the citizenry. This would lead to a greater regional consciousness among the mass population and consequently generate an EAC culture (Garza 2009). The role is supported by the idea that the media, as a sense making and disseminating agent of integrationist ideas can help initiate integrative trends and that increased awareness about the process contributes to an acceptable regional identity (Garza, 2009).
Summary of Chapters
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION: Outlines the historical context of East African integration and defines the problem statement regarding the role of print media in educating the public.
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW: Examines existing scholarly work on African regional integration, the role of communication, and the agenda-setting theoretical framework.
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH AND METHODOLOGY: Details the quantitative content analysis approach used to evaluate newspaper articles between 2010 and 2011.
CHAPTER FOUR: ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA: Presents the statistical findings of the study based on categories like story type, placement, tone, and framing.
CHAPTER FIVE: Discusses the findings, highlighting how specific integration topics are prioritized and framed by the print media.
CHAPTER SIX: DISCUSSION OF RESULTS: Summarizes the study’s findings, offers conclusions, and provides recommendations for strengthening media involvement in the integration process.
Keywords
East African Community, EAC, regional integration, print media, content analysis, agenda-setting theory, public awareness, political federation, Common Market Protocol, mass communication, media framing, journalism, East Africa, socio-economic development.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The research focuses on analyzing the role that print media plays in the integration process of the East African Community (EAC), specifically investigating how newspapers report and frame integration-related topics.
What are the central themes of the work?
The work explores regional integration, communication theory (specifically agenda-setting), the structure of the East African print media, and how media content influences citizen perception of the EAC.
What is the main objective of the study?
The main objective is to establish the amount of coverage print media gives to EAC issues, determine the priority level of these issues, and analyze how the media frames and balances information about the regional integration process.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The study employs a quantitative content analysis methodology, examining a sample of newspaper articles from The East African newspaper over a period of 10 months (November 2010 to August 2011).
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body covers a literature review on integration, the theoretical framework of agenda-setting, the research design and sampling procedure, and a detailed analysis of findings related to news framing, story placement, and the tone of reports.
What are the defining keywords for this study?
Key terms include East African Community, regional integration, print media, content analysis, agenda-setting, and media framing.
How does the author view the role of the Common Market Protocol in print media?
The author notes that while the Common Market Protocol receives coverage, the framing varies significantly, with articles often portraying it either as a platform for economic development or as a complex bureaucratic challenge.
What is the study’s conclusion regarding media influence?
The study concludes that print media plays a critical role as an agent of integrationist ideas, suggesting that media houses should work more closely with the EAC secretariat to disseminate information to the general public more effectively.
- Citation du texte
- Consolata Mutisya (Auteur), 2011, A Critical Analysis of Role of Print Media in the East Africa Community (EAC) Integration, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/186858
