How often do you read the traditional, printed newspaper? Seems a strange question to ask because you are probably reading this article in a newspaper, or an online version of the Star.
Perhaps we can put the question another way. How often do you buy the print version of the Star or any other newspaper? The answer to that question has implications for the future of newspapers not only in Kenya but across the world.
There is a huge appetite for news and updates on current events. There is a lot of demand for business news, celebrity happenings, human-interest stories and sports news. People love stories and the media industry exists precisely to satisfy the hunger for stories, but the means of distributing those stories is evolving.
Now in his 70s, retired civil servant Andrew Mwaiseghe has been a regular newspaper reader for almost 50 years. He buys newspapers three to four times a week. Mwaiseghe can be seen carrying a newspaper wherever he goes, whether it's to a business meeting, the local pub or to the motor vehicle garage where he gets his car repaired. The newspaper keeps him busy any time he has to wait for something and, by the end of the day, he will have read a large part of it.
Mwaiseghe is also active on social media, especially WhatsApp groups. He takes photos of interesting articles in newspapers and shares them with friends and relatives on WhatsApp groups. Mwaiseghe has integrated his love for newspapers with digital technology but, lately, he's questioning whether newspapers are any better than social media.
"Nowadays, I find newspapers with the same stories I saw on social media the previous day. I'm wondering whether newspapers are giving me fresh information I haven't already found out," Mwaiseghe says.
ELECTRONIC REVOLUTION
A survey by Radio Africa Group shows that television and radio are the main source of news for most Kenyans. The two types of media are also the most trusted information sources across all age groups, according to the Kenya Media Research Survey, whose results were published on November 13.
Kenyans are spending more time getting news on social media than from traditional media. Social media includes social networking platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter), as well as instant messaging services WhatsApp and Telegram. On average, Kenyans spend 2 hours and 24 minutes on social media each day, compared to 2 hours 10 minutes on radio.
The survey found that social media is the most trusted source of news and information for Kenyans aged 18-34 (the youth). Kenyans in that age group buy newspapers mostly on days they know job vacancies are published. To the youth, newspaper purchases are part of job hunting.
The latest findings on Kenyans' media preferences confirm a long-established swing towards electronic media. In February, the Media Council of Kenya published its state of the media report for 2022, which showed that TV and radio were the main sources of news in Kenya. They both tied at 33 per cent each.
Social media was the third-most popular source of news in 2022, coming in at 18 per cent. Newspapers as an exclusive source of news came fourth at 6 per cent. According to an MCK editorial, just 30 per cent of survey respondents said they read printed newspapers at least once a week.
"Prime time news is King," MCK CEO David Omwoyo said during the report's release. 75 per cent of Kenyans get their news from TV bulletins between 4pm and midnight. This may be attributed to the fact that adults are usually at home from work, hence the increased preference for prime time news to get updates on current affairs.
The bright spark for journalists is that 70 per cent of respondents in the MCK report said they trust the media. This shows that mainstream media remains highly popular among Kenyans. 51 per cent of Kenyans said they visited news websites, a huge improvement over the 12 per cent recorded in 2021.
Interestingly, bloggers are the least popular source of news. Only one per cent of Kenyans told MCK that they visited blogging channels at least once a week. This finding implies that bloggers are not an effective way for advertisers to reach audiences.
Digital-only news outlets (those that don't have print newspapers, radio and TV) have lower operating costs compared to mainstream media. They are much more flexible at adapting to change but, like mainstream media, they face intense competition for consumers and advertisers.
SOCIAL MEDIA SPAGHETTI
Edward Mwasi, CEO of the Kenya Yearbook Editorial Board, says fears of electronic media overrunning printed newspapers began in the 1940s. Mwasi believes that social media by itself cannot satisfy the human desire for deep stories. Successful newspapers are those that have easy-to-read content and excellent packaging.
"Journalism takes time to explain stories, while providing multiple perspectives. Social media is like a quick spaghetti alternative to a five-course meal," Mwasi wrote in a Daily Nation opinion piece.
Despite the changes in technology, the demand for news is not declining but increasing. Leo Kemboi of the Institute of Economic Affairs contends that the number of daily visits to newspaper websites is on the increase. It is only the mode of consuming news that is changing.
"My argument is: That the changing dynamics of the industry will bring new sectors and opportunities that the Kenya industry players can tap into," Kemboi surmised in a blog post for the institution.
Official data proves the consumer shift towards online news. The Economic Survey 2023 – published by the Kenya National Bureau for Statistics – shows that as newspaper circulation dropped between 2018 and 2022, the number of visitors to online news websites grew from 2.8 million per day to 4.7 million. That represents a 65 per cent increase in online traffic over the five years.
