https://journals.editononline.com/index.php/jmc/issue/feed 2025-01-03T00:00:00+00:00 Editon Consortium Publishing editor@editononline.com Open Journal Systems <p><a href="https://journals.editononline.com/index.php/jmc"><strong>Journal of Media and Communication (ISSN 2958-1095)</strong></a> is a double-blind peer reviewed, open access, online Journal published by “<a href="https://editononline.com/"><strong>Editon Consortium Publishing</strong></a>”, East Africa, Kenya. The Journal publishes original scholarly research (empirical and theoretical), in form of case studies, reviews and analyses in mass communication, public relations, journalism, news media, film/cinema studies and related areas of study.</p> https://journals.editononline.com/index.php/jmc/article/view/669 2024-12-18T07:57:38+00:00 Stephen Ngugi Mburu smburun@gmail.com

<p>The study sought to determine the extent of daily newspaper readership, the accessibility of such newspapers, the range of issues covered, and to explore the feasibility of filling the gap left by the mainstream paid-for newspapers, such as the Daily Nation. The study was framed within three theoretical perspectives: Uses and Gratifications Theory, Agenda-Setting Theory, and Political-Economic Theory. Being an exploratory investigation, the researcher purposively picked Nairobi City County as it is the capital city of Kenya. The research purposively sampled 20 respondents: 10 readers and 10 non-readers of newspapers. The research utilised qualitative methodology, including semi-structured interviews and content analysis. The study findings revealed that content on politics, diplomacy, as well as issues affecting powerful, wealthy and elite, dominated major news pages of the <em>Daily Nation</em>, leaving issues of common man largely unaddressed. Most respondents reported reading the Daily Nation as it carried comprehensive political and business news. The research found a gap in coverage of topics related to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), entertainment, education, and social issues such as transport, water access, and crime. The study concluded that a free newspaper focused on addressing the concerns of the general populace, especially the grassroots, is not only viable but necessary in the Nairobi metropolitan area. The findings strongly suggest that there is a market for a publication that caters for everyday issues, offering accessible and relevant content. It is recommended that media organisations and stakeholders explore opportunities to develop free newspapers that prioritise grassroots issues, ensuring greater inclusivity and public engagement in media consumption.</p>

2025-02-14T00:00:00+00:00 Copyright (c) 2025 Stephen Ngugi Mburu