The role of Vernacular Radio Journalists in Demystifying Climate Change Concepts to Targeted Communities in Central Kenya

Abstract

The role of vernacular radio journalists in demystifying climate change concepts to targeted communities in Central Kenya Abstract Many local communities who speak vernacular languages are often marginalized from prevailing climate change dialogues, despite their daily interactions with the land and other natural resources. Vernacular journalists play a crucial role in agenda setting by translating information into local languages understood by their communities, thereby emancipating them from previous marginalization. Climate change, a global concept, is being communicated by vernacular journalists to their targeted audiences. Often perceived as intangible, complex, and opaque, climate change information can lead to feelings of hopelessness and fatigue, causing many to avoid or distance themselves from it. To make climate journalism more relatable, it needs to connect with the daily experiences of its audiences, which require reporting of local issues, showing their relationship to national and global aspects of climate change. The Media Council of Kenya has trained journalists on covering climate change, but it remains unclear how vernacular journalists are making this concept relevant and comprehensible to their audiences while maintaining focus on the broader scales of the problem. This paper aims to investigate how vernacular radio demystifies climate change. The study will employ a descriptive design, interviewing selected journalists from Kikuyu radio stations. Results will demonstrate how journalists frame climate change to make it relevant to their audiences, particularly in ways that reflect the local communities lived experiences and socio-cultural lives. Findings will enhance the promotion of climate change awareness among local communities and assist the Media Council in evaluating the outcomes of their training