Overcoming Ethnic Divisions on Kenyan Radio: A Multilingual Programming Approach
摘要
Kenya has over 158 radio stations broadcasting in indigenous languages. In early 2000, the country experienced the proliferation of private radio stations. Although media diversity contributed ethnic cultural autonomy on radio, it also furthered ethnic divisions and conflict. Several scholars have been calling for socially responsible journalism to fight “tribalism” in the context of Kenya indigenous language radio. Unlike other studies, this chapter leans on radio multilingualism as strategy to overcome ethnic divisions. Through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, the study grapples with questions: how is multilingualism promoted on Kenyan radio and to what extent is multilingualism reflected as an approach towards social cohesion? The findings of the study show that private radio in Kenya targets primary ethnic audience yet with limited multilingual programmes, mostly in dominant languages. Using multicultural and multilingual accommodation theoretical lens, we argue that the exhibit of exclusive private radio for a specific ethnic group upholds a sense of “monolingualism”. Thus, radio programming should be devised from a multilingual Kenyan perspective to ensure the implementation of a multilingual programmes for social cohesion.