Influence of Digital Media on News Production: A Case of Royal Media Services

Abstract

The emergence of digital media has transformed how journalists globally produce news. Traditional media outlets are under constant pressure to adapt to digital media and Kenyan newsrooms are also in a similar predicament. This study focused on Royal Media Services, examining how digital media is influencing news production at Royal Media Services, Kenya, as well as the moderating effect of technology adoption on the relationship between digital media and news production at Royal Media Services, Kenya. The Diffusion of Innovation theory and the agenda-setting theory support the study. This study utilized the mixed research approach and adopted the convergent parallel research design. The target population was 250 Royal Media Services broadcast and digital journalists. The sample size for this study was 152, determined using the Krejcie and Morgan determination formula. The study used stratified random sampling for digital and broadcast journalists and purposive sampling to select the key informants who included managing editors, the editorial director and digital managers at Royal Media Services. Data was collected using questionnaires for digital and broadcast journalists and interview schedules for key informants. Data collected was analyzed using SPSS Version 27, with descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviation as well as inferential statistics such as Pearson correlation and regressions. The qualitative data collected through the interviews were analyzed using NVivo version 15 software. The study established that there was a significant correlation between digital media and technology adoption (r=.336), and between digital media and news production (r=.295). It was further revealed that there was a significant correlation between news production and technology adoption (r=0.646). It was also revealed that digital media significantly influenced news production (R2=0.087, F(1,102)= 9.701, p<.05). The study further established that there was a significant moderation effect of technology adoption on the relationship between digital media and news production at Royal Media services, Kenya (R2=0.3781, F(1,100)= 4.0192 and p<0.05). It was established that major challenges of technology adoption on digital media and news production are fake news and unethical reporting. The study recommends regular continuous training and capacity building of journalists in order to equip them with the latest technology for news production. The study further recommends more resource allocation and investment in new technological tools for digital news production. The study further recommends integration of digital media skills in the training and curriculum of media studies. This study offers valuable insights for media companies and organizations in Kenya, helping them make informed strategic decisions on improving news production processes and improving journalism quality in the country. The study informs policymakers and regulators about the challenges journalists face when producing news and suggest potential policy solutions to address these challenges.