Digital Journalists' Perspectives and Practices in Reporting Sexual Harassment of Men in Kenya

Abstract

This study explored digital journalists' perspectives and practices in reporting sexual harassment of men in Kenya. Specifically, the first objective was to explore Kenyan digital journalists' perceptions of sexual harassment of men. The second research objective was to examine how Kenyan digital journalists frame and construct narratives when reporting on sexual harassment of men in the country. The third objective was to investigate the rationales Kenyan digital journalists use for the inclusion or exclusion of stories on sexual harassment of men in Kenya. The fourth objective was to identify the challenges and ethical dilemmas Kenyan digital journalists encounter when reporting on sexual harassment of men in Kenya. The study was grounded on the Framing Theory, which posits that journalists actively construct meaning by selecting and emphasizing certain aspects of reality to shape audience understanding. The research focused on digital journalists in Kenya, with data collected among 11 journalists working at Tuko.co.ke, Citizen Digital and Nairobileo.co.ke. The study employed a qualitative approach, with the journalists who were interviewed selected through purposive sampling based on their experience in reporting on gender issues in their respective media houses. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was conducted using inductive thematic analysis, which involved familiarization with the data, generating initial codes, searching for themes, reviewing themes, defining and naming themes, and producing the final report. The study established that digital journalists perceive sexual harassment as a social problem that is widely underreported. This was attributed to gender norms and stereotypes, which make it difficult for men to speak about their experiences as victims are labeled weak. The journalists also acknowledged that these societal views influence them in their reporting. The study also established that there is no standard framework for reporting on sexual harassment of men, even as digital journalists employ a wide range of framing strategies, such as humanization and contextualization, when covering stories on the sexual harassment of men. The study established that journalists prioritize the credibility of victims’ accounts, safety, traffic considerations, and consent approval when deciding whether to cover such stories. The finding of the study was that the absence of a standard guideline has created inconsistencies in the framing of stories. Digital journalists involved in the study also revealed that coverage of these incidents affected them mentally, further proposing that media houses avail therapists to help them address these challenges. The study concluded that sexual harassment of men is a social problem that digital journalists have underreported. The study also concluded that there are inconsistencies in the framing strategies used by journalists to cover the stories on the sexual harassment of men, given the lack of a standardized guideline. As a result, the study recommended that media houses and the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) and media houses need to establish specific guidelines on coverage of sexual harassment of men. The study also recommended that media houses organize training sessions for digital journalists to enhance their skills in reporting sexual harassment of men.