War on Al-Shabaab:A Content Analysis of the

Kenyan TV CoverageNovember 2011

Monitoring Report

MEDIACOUNCIL OF KENYA

Table of ContentAcknowledgements iii

1. Executive Summary 1

2. Project Description 2

2.1. Objectives and Methodology 2

2.2. Findings 2

2.2.1. General Observations 2

2.2.2. Topics of Coverage 3

2.2.3. Sources of Coverage 4

2.3. Conclusion 5

Published by:

Media Council of KenyaP.O. Box 43132 00100 Nairobi, KenyaGround Floor, British American Insurance Centre Mara/Ragati Road Junction, Upper Hill

Tel: +254 (020) 2737058, 2716265, 2716266Mobile: +254 727 735252Email: info@mediacouncil.or.keWebsite: www.mediacouncil.or.ke

© Media Council of Kenya, 2011

MEDIACOUNCIL OF KENYA

WAR ON AL-SHABAAB: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF THE KENYAN TV COVERAGE 1iii WAR ON AL-SHABAAB: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF THE KENYAN TV COVERAGE

AcknowledgementsThe Media Council of Kenya wishes to acknowledge the work of the MCK monitoring team:

Immaculate MwendeAbraham KisangAllennita GakiiNjeri MunyiriAhmed Kassim

We also want to thank Isabel Rodde, Technical Adviser GIZ and the German Development Cooperation GIZ / Civil Peace Service for the supervision and support of the project.

1. Executive SummaryOn October 16, 2011, Kenyan forces invaded Somalia to fight Al-Shabaab militia who had allegedly abducted two foreign tourists and two international aid workers from Kenyan territory. The Media Council of Kenya (MCK), the statutory body established under the Media Act 2007 which regulates media and promotes journalistic professionalism in Kenya, monitored the TV coverage of the military incursion from October 15 until November 2, 2011. The aim was to assess the quality and fairness of the reporting. A total of 147 news items broadcast during the 9.00 PM news bulletins on Citizen TV, NTV and KTN were analyzed.

Key Findings ■ Kenyan TV stations covered the military actions in Somalia extensively, with

reporters mainly based in Kenya. A few reporters were embedded with the Kenyan forces and reported from Somalia.

■ Kenyan TV stations predominantly relied on information provided by the Kenyan government and the Kenyan army. They only rarely covered information from other sides (e.g. international news and aid agencies, Somali sources).

■ There was a clear tendency to highlight the military success of the Kenyan forces while downplaying casualties of Kenyan soldiers and civil Somalis as well as Kenyan setbacks caused by the heavy rainfall. Critical voices on the Kenyan incursion into Somalia were not covered.

■ The majority of Kenyan TV reports didn´t question inconsistencies in the justification for the military operation. The TV reporters and presenters failed to ask crucial questions regarding the prospects of military success and further underlying motives of the incursion.

■ The Kenyan TV stations covered only a few background stories on the conflict in Somalia and quoted hardly any independent political analysts in their reports.

■ Dominant subjects featured in the news reports were Kenyan Government officials and high ranking military and police officials. However, there were some reports that also covered the consequences of the war for ordinary citizens, featuring ordinary Kenyans and Somalis.

■ Several reports and presentations sensationalized military action and staged it as an adventure game while at the same time providing limited news value.

WAR ON AL-SHABAAB: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF THE KENYAN TV COVERAGE 32 WAR ON AL-SHABAAB: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF THE KENYAN TV COVERAGE

2. Project Description2.1. Objectives and MethodologyMCK observed the coverage of three major Kenyan TV stations (Citizen TV, NTV and KTN) on the military invasion of Somalia from October 15 until November 2, 2011. A content analysis of all news items related to the military actions broadcast during the 21.00 news bulletins was conducted. The study analyzed a total of 147 news items with 55 items being broadcast on NTV and 46 items each on CTN and KTN. Data was entered into Excel. Statistical analysis was carried out with SPSS Version 17.0.

The scope of analysis included an assessment of ■ Accuracy of facts ■ Balance and impartiality of reporting ■ Provision of background information on the cause of violence ■ Sourcing of reports ■ Dominant subjects of news coverage

2.2. Findings2.2.1. General ObservationsPredominantly, Kenyan TV stations reported facts on the incursion into Somalia correctly. Sometimes though, they failed to verify official Kenyan Government information, e.g. when reporting about the beginning of the invasion of Somalia. On October 16, for example, NTV and Citizen TV reported that the Kenyan Defence Forces were preparing to enter Somalia while they had in fact already crossed into Somalia.

The main problem of the coverage was a significant lack of balance. Kenyan TV stations focused on the information provided by the Kenyan Government and Military and only rarely covered information from other sides (e.g. international news and aid agencies, Al Shabaab). There was a clear tendency to highlight the military success of the Kenyan forces while downplaying casualties of Kenyan soldiers and civil Somalis as well as Kenyan setbacks caused by the heavy rainfall. On October 17, for example, Citizen TV mentioned the crash of the Kenyan helicopter with the death of 5 soldiers only casually. On October 31, Citizen TV briefly mentioned claims of Doctors without Borders that an IDP camp in Jilbil had been hit. The station then quoted PM Raila Odinga who dismissed the claims as Al Shabaab propaganda, without commenting on any attempts to verify the facts.The majority of Kenyan TV reports didn´t question inconsistencies in the justification for the military operation. Questions such as: “Are the Kenyan Forces capable of winning the war, taking into account that the US and Ethiopia failed with their previous military activities? Can Kenya protect itself by invading a foreign country? What action is taken against money-making operations of Al-Shabaab in the Kenyan capital?” were left to a few commentators in the print media and to the international media.

Critical voices on the Kenyan incursion into Somalia were hardly covered. A positive counter example to the predominantly “all-positive” war coverage was NTV´s reporting on October 17, which included a vox pop with diverse opinions of Nairobi residents on the incursion.There was a significant tendency to sensationalize military action and orchestrate it as an adventure game, while at the same time providing limited news value. On October 25 for example, embedded Citizen TV reporter Michael Njenga presented himself with a rifle and bandoleers; on October 26 he presented raw footage of Kenyan soldiers preparing and handling grenades at night-time.

2.2.2. Topics of CoverageThe majority of news items focused on the military developments (47%). One third of the reports dealt with issues of Kenya´s internal security. Less than 3% covered the impact of the war on Somali civilians. The TV stations covered only a few background stories on the conflict in Somalia and quoted hardly any independent political analysts in their reports. Positive examples included NTV´s and KTN´s reports on the history and current conflicts within Somalia from October 25 (NTV) and October 29 (KTN). There were also some reports that covered the consequences of the war for ordinary citizens. On October 21 for example, Michael Njenga reported on Citizen TV on the economic situation in the border-town Liboi. On October 25, John Allan Namu reported on ethnic profiling of Kenyan Somalis in Eastleigh and portrayed the Kenyan-Somali journalist Ahmed Abdi Ali as a role model.

Topics

n=147Percent

0-

10-

20-

30-

40-

50-

MilitaryDevelopments

Internal Security(incl. impact on

ordinary

Kenyans)

Regional

RelationsEconomic

Impact of WarImpact on ordinary

Somalis

WAR ON AL-SHABAAB: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF THE KENYAN TV COVERAGE 54 WAR ON AL-SHABAAB: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF THE KENYAN TV COVERAGE

CTN coverage had the strongest focus on military developments whereas NTV had considerably more reports on internal security and the impact on ordinary Kenyans.

2.2.3. Sources of CoverageThe coverage was mainly based on official Kenyan Government sources. More than 50% of all sound-bites were provided by Government officials. 10% were contributed by Kenyan military spokespersons and ordinary Kenyan soldiers, only one percent covered the view of Al Shabaab. Dominant subjects featured in the news reports were Kenyan Government officials (Internal Security Minister George Saitoti, Defense Minister Yusuf Hajj, Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula, Prime Minister Raila Odinga), high-ranking military and police officials (Chief of the Defence Force General Julius Karangi, Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere), and the Somali President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed and Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali. The views of political analysts and diplomatic sources as well as aid workers and (Somali) journalists were hardly covered at all.

Sources

n=147

Percent

0-

10-

20-

30-

40-

50-

60-

KenyanGovernment

OrdinaryKenyan

KenyanMilitary

TFG PoliticalAnalyst

OrdinarySomali

Diplomatic

SourceAl Shabaab

51%

10%4% 1%5%8%9%

12%

2.3. ConclusionThe TV coverage of Kenya´s incursion into Somalia failed to meet the basic journalistic standards of balance and impartiality. The reports relied exclusively on information provided by the Kenyan Government and Army, without adequately explaining the rules under which the journalists were operating (e.g. withholding of information). There was a clear tendency to highlight the military success of the Kenyan forces while downplaying the actual setbacks. Critical voices on the Kenyan incursion were not covered. Patriotism and support for the Kenyan army, instead of the determination to provide reliable information, were obviously the major concerns underpinning the TV coverage.

The following publications provide in-depth information on the challenges and skills of war and peace reporting and can be obtained through the internet:

■ Reporting for Change: A Handbook for Local Journalists in Crisis Areas, Institute for War & Peace Reporting, London, 2004

■ A Guide for Professional Journalism in Conflict Zones, Search for Common Ground, Jerusalem, 2011

6 WAR ON AL-SHABAAB: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF THE KENYAN TV COVERAGE

MEDIACOUNCIL OF KENYA

P.O. Box 43132 00100 Nairobi, KenyaT +254 (020) 2737058M +254 727 735252E info@mediacouncil.or.keW http://www.mediacouncil.or.ke