How Journalists and Civil Society View GenderPortrayal in Editorial Cartoons inKenya’s Daily Nationand Standard Newspapers

Abstract

Diverse views byscholars, policy makers as well as readers of newspapers and magazines, point to one critical issuethat the media have of late become conduits for gender stereotyping not only in Kenya but the world over. This fact has been affirmed by public uproar against specific media housesin recent years after publishing cartoons that appeared offensiveto sections of society. In some cases, such protests and reactions were very violent and claimed livesbesidescausing thedestruction of property. Hinged on the Agenda setting theory, this paperrefers to Kenya’sDaily Nationand Standard newspapers cartoon column in seeking to highlight what journalistsand civil societyconsider to be the position of genderportrayed in editorial cartoons andwhether byextension thesecartoons subtly or unconsciously promote gender bias and stereotypical overtones.The qualitative case study was guided by the interpretivist philosophical paradigm. Besides the secondary data drawn from the two dailies, semi-structured interviews that targeted cartoonists, human rights,and gender activists from six purposely selected organizations wereapplied and analysed.The study finds bias and increased stereotypical overtones occasioned byalack of resolve by the two media houses to adequately embrace gender sensitivity focus in themanner editorial cartoonists portray both men and womenin the news.To cure the gender portrayal bias in the selected cartoons, there is a need for specific in-housededitorial guidelinesthat will guide its creators.