Media Framing of Women in Business

An Analysis of Mainstream Newspapers’ Coverage in Kenya

Abstract

This study focused on the framing of women business leaders in mainstream newspapers in Kenya. The study was guided by three research questions: What is the frequency of coverage of issues female business leaders in Kenya have? How has mainstream media framed coverage of female business leaders in Kenya? What is the implication of this framing for sustainable development? The study adopted a descriptive research design. It targeted women business leaders who have attained that status either because their companies are listed on the Nairobi securities exchange, or because their companies compare to such companies through performance, size, capitalization, and formal structure. The theoretical foundations of the study are the agenda-setting and framing theories. Data collection was through content analysis. Data collected was analyzed and findings were presented using narrative analysis procedures. The study found there was minimal coverage of women business leaders in mainstream newspapers in Kenya. In addition, the little coverage that there was, was negative or indifferent. The study found that the mainframes used to cover women were patriarchal, gender-descriptive roles, feminized images, and allusion to men. It concluded that this framing has a detrimental effect on the ascension of women to positions of power in business and hinders natural economic development. The research recommended that women business leaders proactively take charge of their narrative as opposed to leaving it to the media to control as they wish. This gives them more control over the amount and tonality of coverage across mainstream media.