Abstract:
The media in Kenya was partly to blame for the post-election violence of 2007/2008.
Since then, there has been renewed efforts and concern to monitor how the media
operates. Despite, the existence of the journalistic code of conduct as a basis for all media
activities there have been surging complaints on media. The aim of this study was to
establish media practitioners‟ adherence to the journalistic code of conduct in Uasin
Gishu County, Kenya. The study was guided by three objectives; to establish the extent to
which journalists perceive the journalistic code of conduct in Uasin Gishu County;
determine the extent to which journalists abide by the journalistic code of conduct in
Uasin Gishu County; establish the level of editorial independence by journalist in Uasin
Gishu County. The study was guided by Hutchins‟ Social Responsibility theory of the
press which emphasizes the need for an independent press that scrutinizes other social
institutions and provides objective and accurate news reports. Being a mixed method
study, it used explanatory sequential design to administer field logistics. This design
facilitated collection of quantitative data which informed the qualitative phase. The study
had a target population of 26 media houses in Uasin Gishu County from which 10 media
houses were purposively sampled. Questionnaires were used to interrogate general
perception of reporters while interview schedules were used get detailed information
from the editors. Quantitative data collected was analyzed by the help of SPSS
version.21 (Descriptive analysis) and presented in form of descriptive tables. Qualitative
data collected was presented inform of narratives and themes. The findings of the study
reveal that journalists understand the journalistic code of conduct however; profit rather
than the journalistic code of conduct determines the stories to be published. The study
therefore concludes that there is no uniformity in the implementation of journalistic code
of conduct among the various media houses in Uasin Gishu County. The researcher
recommends for the need for MCK to initiate ways to delink media owners from
management of media houses, MCK to regulate the relationship between advertisers and
the media houses, MCK regulate relationship between the county governments and the
media and the need for periodical review of salaries for journalists.
