Determinants of Gender-related content in Programmes aired at Sayare Tv Eldoret, Kenya

Abstract

Disseminated media content aid in shaping and influencing the society either positively or negatively in relation to gender issues,practices and work engagements.This may in turn develop a gender biased society. Gender parity is clearly depicted inmost of these programmes aired on local television stations. The depth and width of content coverage in this study was limited to: content qualities,style, values,aesthetic, language, timings, presenters and mode of presentation. The objectives of the study were to: identify the challenges involved in the choice of particular content and gender at SAYARE TV, determine the level of gender equity in content design at SAYARE TV station, assess the effects of programmes content on gender basis to consumers as aired at SAYARE TV station and establish strategies that can be used in creating and maintaining gender balance in the content of local TV stations.Study research design was used while Structuration A Case theory of communication by Giddens (1984) guided the study. The theory explains the quality of structures and human agency (Giddens and Piersons 1998). This theory was enriched by behavioral and infiltration attributes of the viewers as elaborated by the conceptual framework adopted. This study used a heterogeneous population of workers and listeners of SAYARE TV station; a sample size of eighty respondents was used. The researcher used primary data that was collected using questionnaires;data was analyzed and interpreted using descriptive and analytical statistics where tables, graphs and charts were used. Programmes content aired at SAYARE TV were found to be inclined to female gender. Hence a need to enhance institutionalization the "fourth estate" and aid continuous development local TV programming of gender equity through of gender sensitive content in was found to be essential. The beneficiaries include; Ministry of Education, Communication of this study and Information Technology, Media institutions/ colleges, local media stations as well as Moi University.