Determining the Context of Television Serial Drama Viewership in Nairobi, Kenya.

Abstract

The study sought to determine the context of television serial drama fiction viewership in Nairobi, Kenya. Watching of television serial drama fiction/soap operas is popular among Nairobi audiences. The research is anchored on uses and gratification and cultural proximity theories. The study employed a mixed-method design approach and used simple random, purposive and systematic sampling techniques to determine the population sizes. The study is further organised at two levels. In the first phase, 422 interview guide questionnaires were administered to respondents in households in three randomly selected constituencies of Nairobi followed by nine FGDs. The constituencies were Embakasi West, Makadara and Kibra. The survey questionnaires were finally analysed by SPSS and triangulated together with the qualitative findings. There is an emerging digital divide in the context of television viewership due to the impact of digital technology. The study found that many of the audiences now pay to access the television signals which they perceive as a gain reversal. Thus, the 'free' television signal connection has acquired a different meaning where private institutions, as opposed to the public (a government body), are now in charge of signal distribution and charge a monthly fee for access. From the recommendation, the government should make digital TV accessible by zero-rating taxes to the distributors. In addition to that, they should come up with a policy change that the first four most popular FTA TV stations should be accessible to the audiences at all times even when other channels are switched off.