Media Strategies and the Growth of Kiswahili among Journalism Students in Kenyan Universities

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INTRODUCTION
The media are among the entities that have made Kiswahili a regional lingua franca and the largest African language with the number of speakers on a steady increase.Studies by the African Economist, (2012) and Payne (2014) estimate that up to 150 million people worldwide speak Kiswahili.Kiswahili has more than 11 million native speakers who speak it as a first language and more than 120 million secondary speakers making Kiswahili the most widely used African language in radio broadcasts in the world, and the most widely used African language after Arabic.It is used for news broadcasting from major broadcasting stations around the globe (Mohochi and Wairungu (ND): K.N.E.C., 1998).
The world radio and TV stations featuring Kiswahili include foreign media organizations such as the BBC radio and Television (England), The Voice of America (US), Deutsche Welle (Germany), Radio Japan International, Radio China International, Radio Moscow International (Russia), and many Africa states such as Radio Cairo (Egypt), Radio Sudan, and Radio South Africa that come to many homes in East Africa, (Makewa et al 2014: Wafula, 2011).Some of these programs are broadcasted to East Africa, especially Kenya, and Tanzania, on a regular basis (Mukuthiria, 2006).
In Kenya there are many radio stations exclusively broadcasting in Kiswahili including the Standard Group's Radio Maisha, Q-FM and Radio Umoja, among others in Mombasa (Thuku, 2010: Mdoe, 2011).The government controlled Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) recognizes Kiswahili and English as the official languages of operation where KBC radio and TV national services have their programs strictly in Kiswahili just as other Kiswahili-only radio stations in Kenya that include Q-FM and Radio Umoja (Mdoe, 2011).However, the KBC General Service has its programs in English while KBC television broadcasts in English and Kiswahili, even though majority of the programs are in English (Muaka 2011).The presence of these television and radio stations determine the way the language is used by all groups of people in the country.
Before and after independence Kiswahili has been an important international communication instrument with its usage in various human faculties being an important factor in its growth and spread (Tuli, 1985 in Odawa andOnyango 2017).
Swahili Language now plays an increasingly vital role in the daily commercial, political, cultural, and social life of the region at every level of society giving it the potential of being Africa's lingua franca (Onyango 2012).This widespread use of Kiswahili in the media has had immense influence on the way the language is used by the audience with media now being hailed for their efforts in its growth especially news programs on TV and radio stations in which standard Swahili is used.
Efforts to grow Kiswahili have been realized in leading TV and Radio stations where it has been used concurrently with English as major languages in Kenya.Strategies to have news broadcast in Kiswahili at 7 o'clock with all items executed in Kiswahili including interviewing and reporting from the scene of the event or the stand uppers have made the language gain.Apart from news other programs aimed at developing Kiswahili are prepared by the electronic media (Kandagor, 2014;188).Until recently, only KBC TV used to air news and other programs in Swahili.Today many are embracing Swahili as a mode of communication including print media which has Taifa Leo newspaper (Omondi 2013).
The recognition by the government controlled Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) of Kiswahili and English as the official languages of operation in Kenya is a positive gesture.Because of this KBC radio and TV national services have their programs strictly in Kiswahili (Muaka 2011) while other efforts have included decisions by other local TV stations to produce English programmes that have Swahili names like Sebuleni on NTV and Waridi on Citizen TV.All the local TV programs and commercials have taken up this trend in which characters use both languages but mainly influenced by Kiswahili (Kimaro 2014).Publishers, too, have followed this trend and given their English-content magazines Kiswahili names, such as Sokoni, Twende, Tupike, (Mdoe, 2011 ).
There exists various programs on Kenya's TV and radio channels that contribute to the growth of Kiswahili although much still need to be done to improve on what the programs do as well as their numbers.Kenyatta University TV known as KU TV in its effort to have Kiswahili gain a position in its ranking has a program known as "Mawimbi ya lugha" which airs on Sunday 8.30-9pm.For example, the Sunday of 28/8/16 Topic was titled:"Umuhimu wa lugha" with teachers from Alliance boys and Alliance girls schools as guests.This is together with Akiba ya neno during 7 o'clock Kiswahili news.Discussions are carried out on how the language is used in all sectors and how it ought to be developed.
Elimu TV, Tuesday 6/9/16 Program on Swahili language for primary school pupils.The symposium was concerned with advice on tuning to proper programs.There was also Insha writing competition highlighted by Nation TV in collaboration with Taifa Leo with winners to get 50,000 shillings for their fees where two primary school girls won and were awarded by the late Ken Walibora who was then in charge of the growth of Kiswahili in Nation Media group.These are strategic measures undertaken by the stations in their efforts to develop Kiswahili (Nation The encounter of Swahili words in everyday interactions, on radio, television, and newspapers with FM presenters, spicing up their presentations with Kiswahili, no matter how they are endowed with the English language is a strategic contribution as well (Mdoe 2011).This is supported by the presence of Kiswahili-only radio stations in Kenya that include Q-FM, Milele FM, Radio Umoja, Radio Citizen, Radio Maisha and many others in Mombasa like Kaya FM, Radio Rahma and Pwani.These radio stations were set up due to the growing number of Swahili speakers (Mdoe, 2011).
Findings show that media strategies taken can influence audience in a given area for instance, in Japan, an analysis of newspaper coverage on global warming from January 2007 influenced public opinion due to its dramatic increase in coverage of global warming, ( Sampei and Aoyagi-Usui 2008).

Problem Statement
The access to the media by the youth means they are exposed to different kinds of content that have been prepared in relation to varying strategies (Kunkel et al., 1999).These programmes have had their effects on the young people (Maduewusi, 2005).According toDietz and Strasburger, (1991) television has the potential to generate both positive and negative effects depending on the strategies employed.Despite these media strategies students experience various writing problems with fewer graduates registering little knowledge of spoken and written Swahili (The Standard, 2005).According to Githiora (2002), at least half of male university students are reported to use Sheng as their language of social interaction outside classroom or workplace just like a section of the adult population.This results to lowly treatment of Kiswahili besides poor performance and encountering of negative attitude from users.The undergraduate students are unable to express themselves in coherent Kiswahili reflecting poorly on the products of the country's schools system (Kihuria, 2015).This shows that Kiswahili is not being seriously taken leading to the lowering of its integrity.Odawo and Onyango (2017) argue that exposure to hybrid Swahili use and the uptake of the language is likely to lead to poor language use leading to poor performance in exams and poor language skills.According to Ahinda et al (2014) children with full exposure to television have been found to perform poorly in class and fail to speak languages fluently.
The increased misuse of Kiswahili conveys lack of appreciation of the language and is likely to lead to loss of identity by Swahili speakers while the continued use of the foreign languages has resulted to erosion of pride towards Kiswahili culminating to careless use by the citizens Jensen ( 2016).This noncommittal attitude to the language makes it lose its beauty and causes confusion Onyango (2012).The language is pushed down to second place instead of being highlighted as a national language with people breaking it on purpose.(Jensen 2016).
Proper Kiswahili use is an important issue as it has been an important international communication instrument in various human activities (Tuli, 1985 in Odawa andOnyango 2017).
It is on this basis that there was need for a study to be conducted to provide relevant scientific data which can be used for decision-making or putting interventions in place when dealing with issues relating to youth and Swahili use in Kenya.

Objective
To examine the influence of electronic media strategies on the growth of Kiswahili among university journalism students in Kenya.

Study Hypothesis
H01: There is no relationship between the media strategies and the growth of Kiswahili among university journalism students in Kenya.

LITERATURE REVIEW Theoretical Framework
This study used three theories.

Social Learning Theory
Dr. Bandura in this theory posits that learning is a cognitive process that takes place in a social context through observation or direct instruction, (Severin and Tankard 2001).Thus programs on TV and radio, for example, have been strategized to do this.In addition to the observation of behaviour, learning also occurs through the observation of rewards and punishments meted to the participants, a process known as vicarious reinforcement.Learning through observation involves extraction of information from those observations, and making decisions about the performance of the behaviour.For example, airing a programme with standard Kiswahili is likely to influence the audience to speak it as well.Media can therefore create social change.Entertainment-education in the form of soap opera can help viewers learn socially desired behaviours in a positive way from models portrayed in these programmes.The same will apply in the promotion and growth of Kiswahili among university students in Kenya.The strategy can be that television programs aired around the world can feature standard language that will impact positively on the audience and bring about good outcomes.

The Behaviorist Theory of Language Development
This theory by B.F Skinner in 1957 focuses on objectively observable behaviors where learning is defined as the acquisition of new behavior based on environmental conditions (McLeod, 2016) such as putting in place the necessary strategies by media in programme delivery.Language acquisition, use and growth are as a result of emulating what is going on around the learner.The way programmes are packaged and delivered is key to the growth of Kiswahili among the students.Skinner emphasized the role of imitation, reinforcement and conditioning in language acquisition (Samkange 2015).Reinforcement involves rewarding desirable behavior.It can be both positive and negative.Thus the strategy to have programmes where participants are rewarded is key to language development.When language learners' responses are reinforced positively, they acquire the language relatively easily.The programmes where experts are used to air discussion on language growth lies here.It helps the learner to develop vocabulary.Gerbner (1970), suggests that television is responsible for shaping or cultivating viewer conceptions of social reality.The combined effect of massive television exposure by viewers over time shapes the perception of social reality.Programmes always depict what is going on in society and how the society is like.That painted picture is normally imitated.Gerbner argues that the mass media cultivate attitudes and values which are already present in a culture.These media maintain and propagate these values amongst members of a culture, thus binding it together.Gabner claims that people watching TV learn the facts of life and then imitate what they see.We then base our judgments and actions in the world on this cultivated reality provided by TV ( Baran, 2007:433).Kathurima (2011) concludes that TV viewing affects the language development of children through role modeling where children always want to behave like the characters they see and end up developing language aspects such as pronunciation, intonations and vocabulary like those of the TV and Radio presenter.For this case experts can be used, airing of more Swahili programmes and at the proper times can be a good strategy to enhance the growth of the language.Because of this Ogechi (2003) argues that it is due to the media that Kiswahili has been able to spread worldwide especially through news bulletins and in stations such as Deutche Wella, BBC, Radio South Africa among others.

METHODOLOGY
The study used mixed method design to obtain qualitative and quantitative data.It targeted University students sampled from 4 public Universities in Nairobi County.A sample size of 327male and female students was used.Focus group discussions involving 32 FGDs participants were also involved where non-probability sampling techniques involving purposive and snowball sampling was used to select the participants.Four Swahili experts were interviewed to get expert opinion.Multi-stage sampling design was used to select the sample for the survey.This sampling technique was appropriate because the study sample was selected in stages using stratified random sampling and simple random sampling technique.Purposive sampling was used to collect qualitative data.
The tools used to collect data were questionnaire for quantitative data, interview schedule for key informants and interview guide for focus group discussions.These were to help to assess the effect of the strategies employed by the media organizations in connection with airing Swahili programmes and if these strategies influence the growth of Kiswahili.The study triangulated quantitative and qualitative data to give results shared in this paper.Data was then analyzed using SPSS (version 20) statistical program and presented using inferential statistics, descriptive, correlation regression and ANOVA analysis.

FINDINGS
Quantitative data was obtained through questionnaires which were collected in 4 public Universities in Nairobi County.301 questionnaires were complete and sufficiently filled in all the sections and were thus used in the data analysis.The response rate was 93.4%, which is sufficient and acceptable.Qualitative data was also obtained from expert interviews and focus group discussions.

Media strategies on growth of Kiswahili among journalism students in public universities in Kenya
The influence of media strategies on growth of Kiswahili among journalism students in public universities in Kenya was operationalized by the following constructs: - The finding showed that the respondents agreed that Swahili competition programs in media have made them develop positive attitude toward Kiswahili while being neutral to whether awards to winners in language competitions make them use Kiswahili all the time.This highlights that debates and Competitions have more influence in promoting Kiswahili use than rewards.
Thus 77 % agreed that Swahili competition programs in media have made them develop positive attitude toward Kiswahili.13% disagreed while 10% were not sure.
The FGD participants had the following to say: P1 "These activities encourage the growth of Kiswahili as it leads to vocabulary growth.P2"Students are involved in research before the presentation and make sure standard Swahili prevails." P3 "Good Swahili delivery leads to positive attitude towards the language.This means growth." P4 "I love watching them.They bring together various school and this creates a lot of interest and so generally improves language use." The key informants agreed that debates have general influence on language.It is more effective than the school and that it was a perfect way of improving Kiswahili as no one wants to be embarrassed on its use.It should continue and should happen at universities as well.
34% agreed that they improved their Swahili after watching others that have excelled in Swahili get rewarded after participating in debates and competitions 23.7% were neutral.41.3 disagreed FGD they agreed that; P5"Just like in any other field watching rewards encourage use of proper language." P6 "You watch them compete and you take sides you see then you want one to win and you get the satisfaction.This boosts the morale." According to the experts watching others that have excelled in Swahili being rewarded after participating in debates and competitions makes them improve the way they use Kiswahili.Rewarded ones introduce and influence audience the way Swahili should be used.Rewards encourage others too and make them understand the importance of standard Swahili.
It does.Some are disappointed if it fails.
On the second aspects the findings reported that journalism students agreed to the questions (use of experts in the presenting Swahili programmes make me use correct grammar; I am persuaded to use Kiswahili when I see experts on air) and were neutral to the question (Non-use of experts in Swahili programmes make me have negative attitude towards Kiswahili).This demonstrates the importance that journalist students hold towards experts as Kiswahili influencers in their lives.
For instance 81.8% agreed that when experts are used in presenting Swahili programmes it makes them use correct grammar.9.6 disagreed while 8.6 were not sure.
On the aspect of I am persuaded to use Kiswahili when I see experts on air, 63% of respondents agreed while 18.7% were neutral as 18% disagreed.
On the other hand 28.7% agreed that non-use of experts in Swahili programmes make them have negative attitude towards Kiswahili.18.3% were not sure 53% disagreed.
The FGD on the strategy to use Swahili experts on air and how it helps in improving their Swahili language, P 7"Swahili experts give positive attitude as they use expertise in expressing themselves.This is encouraging as it comes out so well in that many of us admire them."

P8"It leads to improved vocabulary,"
This shows that such a strategy helps in learning and makes students emulate the experts According to the Key informants, language experts have influence.They know what aspects are impactful to the audience.The programmes are limited because people are limited.Others think that coastal culture is what Kiswahili is about which is wrong.People don't need to know those cultures.They obstruct those who want to learn because they confuse.
Others don't help for example Rashid Abdalla and Lulu Hassan when they bring up 'methalis' that are not relevant to the people that are not of coastal origin.Swahili and Islamic presenters have been a problem as they tend to tie the two together creating impression that Swahili and Islam is one and the same thing.
One key informant said experts are excellent but students may not be interested in the programmes.It goes with attitude.Some look down upon Swahili and vernacular languages.They demean the languages and make students not to bother.
On the third aspect of media strategies, the study showed that journalism students agreed that increase in number of discussion programs in Swahili have improved their Swahili vocabulary while showing neutrality to the question, restricted use of Sheng in programs make me use less and less Sheng.This suggests that number of standard Kiswahili programs and not hybrid programmes (Sheng) influences the student's interests in Kiswahili.
Results indicate that 79% of the respondents agreed that an increase in number of discussion programs in Swahili have improved their Swahili vocabulary.13.7% were not sure while 7.3% disagreed.
Findings also indicate that 48.7 % of respondents agreed that restricted use of Sheng in programs make them use less and less Sheng.16.3% were not sure while 35% disagreed.Study has shown that programs that dominantly use hybrid Kiswahili and Sheng impact negatively on Kiswahili growth among Kenyans.Radio Ghetto news is presented in Sheng, together with the Sayantisti, a Citizen Television social talk-show (Mutiga 2013).
On the 7th aspect of media strategies, mixed findings were reported on the question.The students agreed to the question, use of Kiswahili in major stations to broadcast news at seven o'clock has made me develop interest in Kiswahili and showed neutrality to the question, timing of when to place Swahili programs is crucial in my Kiswahili learning.This suggests that Kiswahili programmes placement is more likely to contribute to raising the interests of students on Kiswahili on news programmes than other types of Kiswahili programmes.
Results how that 79.3 % of respondents agreed that use of Kiswahili in major stations to broadcast news at seven o'clock makes them develop interest in Kiswahili.9.3% were not sure while 11.4% disagreed.On the other hand 50.3%, of respondents agreed that timing of when to place Swahili programs is crucial in their Kiswahili learning.23.3% of respondents were not sure while 26.3% disagreed.
Concerning the eighth aspect of media strategies investigated, the findings reported that increased airing of Swahili programs has made the students proud of Kiswahili and Programmes about Swahili has made them like Kiswahili.This shows that the frequency of standard Kiswahili programmes can promote interest amongst Journalism students.
83% agreed increased airing of Swahili programs has made them proud of Kiswahili.8 % were not sure while 9 % disagreed.This is in line with Mwaliwa (2014) argument that few programs and their short duration is a shortcoming and will affect Kiswahili use negatively.
On their views about how the number of Swahili programmes has impacted on the way they use Kiswahili; P4 "The more the programmes the better as langage improves with more programmes." P5 "I tend to do well when I am well exposed so the more the progammes the better." For experts the number of Swahili programmes has impacted on the way student use Kiswahili.
Since 2010 the 60% content rule has made some impact.More Swahili journalists are there.The increase in number is a good move in making students use Swahili.The effect is that they have a better chance of getting employed as opportunities are there.This has led to the betterment of Swahili.
About the frequency of Swahili content in the media as factor on how Swahili grows FGD argued that; P 6 "The more the content the better." P 7 "At the present the programmes are few and it doesn't help.If they are frequent it helps eg news." The key respondents too agreed that the frequency of Swahili content in the media is a big factor on how Swahili grows among journalism students.Higher frequency higher interest meaning there is future.

ANOVA for Media Strategies
Inferential statistics was used to test the study hypothesis.The study conducted ANOVA regression analysis and Process Macro to test the hypothesis.ANOVA was used to test the following hypothesis: There is no relationship between media strategies and the growth of Kiswahili among university journalism students in Kenya.ANOVA tests was performed through SPSS version 26 to determine how influential and useful the independent variable-media strategies in language use was in predicting the dependent variable-growth of Kiswahili ( Field 2013) The findings in Table 2 above indicate that media strategies are significant in explaining the variation in growth in Kiswahili amongst journalism students in public universities.This was supported by the model having p value of 0.000< 0.05 and F-statistics greater than 5.This implies that the regression model predicts growth in Kiswahili significantly well.Thus the null hypothesis that there is no relationship between media strategies and the growth of Kiswahili among university journalism students in Kenya was rejected.It is therefore correct to conclude that media strategies have significant influence on the growth of Kiswahili among university students.

Regression Analysis for Effect of Electronic Media on Growth of Kiswahili
In order to determine the regression model for Kiswahili language growth and media strategies a regression analysis was conducted.The model was also tested to determine whether language media strategies significantly predict Kiswahili growth among university students.This summary table provides the value of R and R 2 for the model.For these data, the study had multiple predictors and hence R 2 is used to account for the relationship between electronic media and growth in Kiswahili.The value of R2 is 0.254, which tells us that electronic media can account for 25.4% of the variation in growth in Kiswahili.This means that 74.6% of the variation in growth in Kiswahili remains unaccounted for: there might be other variables that have an influence also.The findings also show that media strategies statistically have significant relationship with growth in Kiswahili (p-value= 0.000<0.05).Media strategies: b = 0.229 indicates that as the number of media strategies increases by one, growth in Kiswahili increase by 0.229 units.The study null hypothesis was: there is no relationship between the media strategies and the growth of Kiswahili among university journalism students in Kenya.The null hypothesis is rejected.
Two factors were identified which had the biggest influence as media strategies with cumulative variance of 49.6970% were Swahili competition programs in media and use of experts in the presenting Swahili programme.However, of interest from the findings is the revelation that the first item contributes more than the latter.This suggests that journalist students in public university highly prioritize debates and competitions over use of experts when it comes to enhancing interest in Kiswahili.

Conclusion
From the study it was established that there is a relationship between electronic media strategies and Kiswahili growth.The implication of this finding is that the youth who interact more with Radio and television programmes that grow Kiswahili are likely to enhance their language skills.
Kiswahili has been greatly developed mainly because of the promotive policy put in place in electronic media since independence to ensure the survival of Swahili as a National Language.This called for more strong media strategies that would entrench Swahili in the public domain through more aggressive programmes.These strategies include airing of debates in Swahili, organizing competitions programmes, and the sheer decision to use Swahili language experts and scholars in media programs such as radio and academic journals to boost the standing of the language in the society.Educational strategies have been used by the media to provide straightforward information that has modeled desirable behaviors.Most educational programs on the public broadcaster are broadcast in either English or Kiswahili and that TV and radio stations have taken strides and now air programs that discuss issues about Kiswahili usage and eventually end up educating masses about Kiswahili matters.
However it has been noted that despite the effort to grow Kiswahili there still exists instance where the language is still poorly used and efforts need to be done to avoid such situations.

Recommendations
Kiswahili being both a national and official language of Kenya, and one of the most sort after languages in the world media strategies are necessary tools if youth have to be made to use the language fruitfully.These need to be improved to enable youths improve their language use and at the same time have a positive attitude towards Kiswahili.Since media is easily accessible allowing the youth to come into conduct with all linguistic structures it is necessary to ensure that all the necessary strategies are used to improve upon language use.
Directors in terms of TV and radio programming should portray realistic highlights of both positive and negative effects of the TV programmes.There is need to increase knowledge of risks involved in use of hybrid Kiswahili, the percentage of portrayals of risk and good language use in relation to other content on TV and radio since this might inhibit language misuse.

Suggestion for Further Research
Today strategies in media to grow Kiswahili are visible in the diverse media platforms and genres such as soap operas, music, fiction movies etc.Therefore, the influence of other variables such as personalities and language policies should be analyzed.Further research can also be done using experimental research design so as to establish the causal-effects analysis.
TV 7 o'clock news Thursday 18/8/16).Kamusi yetu on KTN news at 7 o'clock, Kamusi ya Leo KTN news Sunday 12 noon and Ramani ya Kiswahili on Radio maisha are more examples.On KBC radio the programs that have aired in favor of Kiswahili include LughaYetu, Ongea Lugha Sanifu ya Kiswahili, Ukwasi wa Lugha,Chemsha Bongo and Ushikwapo Shikamana.In K.B.C.TV we have Sanaa ya Kiswahili and Vituko na Burudani laTaarabu.In Nation F.M., there is Kamusi ya Changamka while Nation TV has Lulu ya Nation.Church programs on TV and in radio have, too, made great contributions to the growth of Kiswahili.

Table 1 : Media Strategies Descriptive Results
Debates, Competitions & rewards, Use of experts, Number of Programs, Program frequency, Program Placement.Results in Table1below show that respondents agreed that media strategies contributed to Kiswahili growth.