Influence of Media Framing in Focusing Corporate Philanthropy on Environmental Care in Kenya
Date
2018-07-06
Authors
Nyaga, Rahab N.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
One Planet Publishing & Media Services Ltd
Abstract
Awareness about the need to care for a shared environment has increased in Kenya, especially in the last decade. Corporations care for the environment through corporate philanthropy, which is an expression of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Media have been key in sensitizing Kenyans about the need for environmental care, through framing of messages on environmental issues. The focus of this paper was on how media influences corporations to focus on environmental care through the messages that they carry. The study was anchored in the Framing Theory that brings out how the media can set the environmental agenda for attitude change and focused action. Literature reviewed was on the environment, the role of the media in philanthropy, CSR and sustainable development (SD) agenda, environmental management in corporations and environmental education. This was a descriptive study that utilized questionnaires and in-depth interviews to collect data. The findings established that framing environmental issues through media reports by the Nation Media Group (NMG) mainly through the Nation newspaper and also through their FM radio stations greatly influenced environmental education, involvement by corporations in environmental initiatives, and the choice of environmental initiatives to engage in. The top environmental issues framed mainly through the Nation newspaper were tree planting, conserving forests and protecting water sources. Media highlighting of tree planting prioritized it as the environmental initiative of choice. Framing of environmental messages by the Nation newspaper set the environmental agenda and resulted in corporations as well as individuals channelling funds to environmental initiatives.
Description
Journal article
Keywords
Corporate social responsibility (CSR), Environmental care, Framing, Philanthropy,, Media, Environment
Citation
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