Whose Voices Shape Protest Narratives? Comparing Source Diversity in Kenya’s Digital-Native and Legacy-Affiliated News Coverage

Bibliographic Data

ID7897129
AuthorsOsman (0009-0000-1419-4596, New York University, corresponding author), Osman Osman
Year2025
Volume26
Issue13
Pages1617-1629
Publication date2025-10-03
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournalism Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1461-670X • E-ISSN: 1469-9699
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/1461670x.2025.2559390
OpenAlexW4414323416
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited39

This study investigates the construction of protest narratives in online-only and legacy-affiliated digital news media, specifically examining their sourcing practices during Kenya’s 2024 anti-Finance Bill protests. By analyzing the digital-native outlet Kenyans.co.ke alongside the legacy outlet Citizen Digital, the research reveals significant yet subtle differences in source diversity. Both platforms primarily depend on authoritative voices, with government officials making up 32% of sources in each outlet. However, Kenyans.co.ke provides slightly more representation for protesters and activists (27.7% vs. 23.9%) and the general public (16.9% vs. 14.9%), along with a greater reliance on social media sources (9.2% vs. 7.5%). These findings indicate that digital-native platforms may afford a somewhat wider array of grassroots perspectives, though neither outlet substantially diverges from the dominance of official sources. This study highlights a critical tension in protest coverage: while digital platforms open avenues for diverse voices, institutional narratives continue to prevail. By examining these continuities and disruptions, the research enriches discussions about media democratization, the limitations of journalistic practices, and the potential for alternative sourcing to transform protest narratives. It calls for a deeper examination of how both legacy and digital media architectures either reinforce or challenge existing power dynamics in public discourse

Journalism · Narrative · News media · Media Influence and Politics · Media Studies and Communication · Social Media and Politics

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access