towards an examination and expansion of the agenda setting theory

178 Pages·2008·0.98 MB·English

by  Uche Onyebadi

TOWARDS AN EXAMINATION AND EXPANSION
OF THE AGENDA SETTING THEORY:
DID THE MEDIA MATTER IN KENYA’S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, 2007?

A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School
University of Missouri

In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Degree

Doctor of Philosophy

by
UCHE ONYEBADI

Dr. Wayne Wanta, Dissertation Supervisor

AUGUST 2008
© Copyright by Uche Onyebadi 2008
All Rights Reserved
The undersigned, appointed by the Dean of the Graduate School, have examined the
dissertation entitled

TOWARDS AN EXAMINATION AND EXPANSION
OF THE AGENDA SETTING THEORY:
DID THE MEDIA MATTER IN KENYA’S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, 2007?

Presented by Uche Onyebadi

A candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy

And hereby certify that in their opinion it is worthy of acceptance

Professor Wayne Wanta

Professor Lee Wilkins

Associate Professor Margaret Duffy

Associate Professor Fritz Cropp

Associate Professor Jonathan Krieckhaus
…to all who keep it in mind to concretize their academic vision someday - courage

…to all my family and friends, living and deceased - Chukwu gozie unu

… to Afamefuna and Yadilichkwu - God’s protection as you grow up

...to Kajuju - Nakupenda sana
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

In many ways, the Missouri School of Journalism was a challenge. But it was a
challenge I faced with a great deal of fortitude, energized by many wonderful teachers
(yes, teachers, for they did not just lecture) I encountered along the way. There were
friends, colleagues, and my News Reporting and Writing, and Cross Cultural Journalism
students who brought in unique perspectives that offered me great insight into what I call
Americanisms.
Yusuf Kalyango Jr, Tayo Oyedeji and I were the doctoral “Three African
Musketeers” of the Missouri School of Journalism. We encouraged one another to leave
a reputable African legacy in our department. With a sense of modesty, we did.
Then, there is Sue Schuermann, the Journalism School’s Library Information
Specialist who is the epitome of efficiency. She handled my barrage of demands for
pieces of information with admirable ease and confidence. Not to be forgotten are Amy
Lenk, whose encyclopedic knowledge about how the Journalism School works never
ceased to amaze me; Martha Pickens always found solutions to my administrative
queries; and Ginny Cowell.
Professor Ernest Perry, the chair of my MA thesis committee, offered me my first
opportunity to teach in an American academic institution and became a good adviser too.
Professor Betty Winfield, with whom I share a passion for media and politics, was quite
gracious and took special interest in monitoring my progress and encouraging me to
excel. Professor Lee Wilkins was a potpourri of solid prose and uplifting poetry all the
time I sat in her class nearly every semester of my five years at Missouri. I cherish her
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friendship. And, Professor Wayne Wanta – my doctoral academic advisor, friend, mentor,
chair of my dissertation committee, an accomplished scholar with whom I share the same
theoretical belief, and a person gifted with an uncommon ability to reduce complex ideas
to something to be understood with ease. I treasure the pleasure of our friendship, and
discussing international soccer.
As a group, members of my dissertation committee – Professors Wayne Wanta,
Lee Wilkins, Margaret Duffy, Fritz Cropp and Jonathan Krieckhaus - were exceptional in
many respects, and treated me more like a colleague than an aspirant and applicant for
acceptance into the exclusive club of doctoral degree holders. I appreciate their erudite
insights and encouragement.
Two of my long-time friends, Professor Charles Okigbo and Dr. Osita Ogbu have
followed my academic journey with deep interest to this day. I thank them.
Finally, I acknowledge the limits of human capacity for an accomplishment such
as this academic laurel, and thank God for the marvelous deeds He has done for me.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS…………………………….. ………………………………ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS………………………………………………………………..iv
LIST OF TABLES……………………………………………………………………….v
LIST OF ILLTRATIONS…………………………………………………………….....vii
ABSTRACT………………………………………………………………….…..……..viii
.
Chapter

1. INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………….. ……… .1
2. LITERATURE REVIEW…………………………………………………….. .12
Kenya: A brief historical and political insight
The media and political elections
3. AGENDA SETTING THEORY: AN OVERVIEW…………………………..32
Agenda setting: Level 1
Agenda setting: Level 2
Agenda setting: Relationship with framing and priming
Agenda setting: Criticism
Agenda setting: Towards and expansion
Agenda setting: Linking theory with research
4. KENYA’S 2007 ELECTION…………………………………………..……...63
Election aftermath in theoretical perspective
5. METHODOLOGY……………………………………………………………73
Content analysis
Survey
Kenya: Indicators of election coverage
Research question and hypotheses
6. RESEARCH FINDINGS……………………………………………………...85
Results for Kenya: Daily Nation and The Standard newspapers
7. DISCUSSION………………………………………………………...…….…109
Kenyan media: Pre and post election coverage
Why the post election violence?
Media coverage
8. CONCLUSION……………………………………………………..……..….135
APPENDIX………………………………………………………………………..….138
1. Survey questionnaire
2. Coding manual: Overview
3. Coding sheet
REFERENCES……………………………………………………….……………....154
VITA……………………………………………………………………………..…...167

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LIST OF TABLES

Table Page

1. Most important issues………………………………………………………….86
2(a) Ranked issue linkage – Kibaki………………………………………………...87
2(b). Ranked issue linkage - Odinga…………………………………...…………..88
2(c). Ranked issue linkage – Musyoka……………………………………………...89
3(a). Ranked personal characteristics linkage – Kibaki……………………...……..90
3(b). Ranked personal characteristics linkage – Odinga…………………………....90
3(c). Ranked personal characteristics linkage – Musyoka………………………….91
4(a). Tone of issue coverage in newspapers – Kibaki………………………….…...92
4(b). Tone of issue coverage in newspapers – Odinga………………………....…..93
4(c). Tone of issue coverage in newspapers – Musyoka…………………………....94
5(a). Tone of personal characteristics coverage in newspapers – Kibaki.....….........95
5(b). Tone of personal characteristics coverage in newspapers – Odinga……...… .95
5(c). Tone of personal characteristics coverage in newspapers – Musyoka………. 96
6. Tone of media coverage/survey of candidates’ top 3 characteristics………….....97
7. Positive tone for media on candidate’s personal characteristics………………....97
8. Survey results...……………………………………………………………….….98
9. Results of correlation………………………………………………………….....99
10. Results of correlation with controlling variables……………………………….100
11. Regression analysis……………………………………………………………..100
12(a). Daily Nation (front page stories, October-November, 2007)…………….....102
12(b). Daily Nation (politics/election unit, October-November, 2007)…………....102
13. Daily Nation (house editorials, October - November, 2007)………………......103
14. Daily Nation (house editorials , January, 2008)……………………………….103
15. Daily Nation (front page stories, January, 2008)……………………………...104
16. Daily Nation (front page photographs, January, 2008)…………………….......104
17(a). The Standard (front page stories, October - November, 2007)……………..105
17(b). The Standard (politics/election unit, October-November, 2007)…………...106
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18. The Standard (house editorials, October – November, 2007)………………....106
19. The Standard (house editorials, January, 2008………………………………..107
20. The Standard (front page stories, January, 2008)……………………………..107
21. The Standard (front page photographs, January, 2008)………...……………..108

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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Figure Page
1. Issue salience/duration……………………………………………………… 42
2. Expanded model for agenda setting theory………………………………… 58

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