Thursday 15 February 2018

WE NEED MORE GIRLS IN SPORTS REPORTING
By Tebby Otieno

tebbyotieno62@gmail.com

Tebby Otieno, Radio Presenter, Mtaani Radio 99.9 FM. With the existence of community radio stations, within different sub counties in Kenya, radio listeners are now brought closer to their favorite radio presenters.Considering the fact that most radio presenters working in community radio stations, stay within the sub counties the radio stations they work for are located, the presenters are in better positions to understand their audiences` lifestyles since they easily interact one-on-one.
During the celebrations of World Radio Day, 2018, Kenya Community Media Network, KCOMNET brought together twenty three community radio stations’ representatives.It is during this session where, Deputy Director Freedom of Expression and Media Development Information and Communication Programme, Anthony Ngare, from Kenya National Commission for UNESCO, KNATCOM challenged media institutions to consider female sports reporters and also increase airtime for female in sports. According to UNESCO, only 4% of female journalists associate themselves with sports commentary.
`The fact that there are male dominated sports with male participants, that kinds of drives away the lady reporters. But still we have some big lady sports journalists in this country. The beauty with sports is analysis and if your analysis is spot on, and well researched, it doesn’t matter whether you are male or female` Says Ngare

According to United Nations Educational, Scientific and cultural Organization, UNESCO`s world radio day, 2018 report: Women represent just 7% of sports people seen, heard or read about in the media. The report also shows that only 4% of sports stories focus primarily on women.

A FEMALE SPORTS COMMENTATOR`S VOICE, CAPTIVATES HER AUDIENCE

According to Lydia Gachungi, Regional Communication Expert, Safety of journalists and Media Development Communication Sector from UNESCO, there is need to sensitize and empower women, through radio to have them join sports programmes. She says women voices are more captivating compared to men


"For sure, the voice of a woman who is commentating on sports is captivating more than a man, because we`re so used to men, and for a woman they come with different views. A woman will even talk more and give more platform and even uplifting the role of women when it comes to sports. Besides that, if a woman is a commentator, she will go out even to look for those women that are playing sports and she can talk about them. She will resonate better even with the listeners, this will in fact, increase the radio listenership, audience and the local women`s sports content within the radio stations" Says Gachungi


Kelvin Nyangweso, Mtaani radio station manager says, the existence of the radio station, within Dagoretti has transformed lives of youths in various sporting clubs



Mtaani radio, 99.9 FM, is a community radio, based in Dagoretti serving the cosmopolitans and the larger Dagoretti sub county; we try to give platforms to various activities and especially in sports. We came up with programmes that promote sports, especially football which we try to give priority to uplift the talent within this region. We have also customized particular programs that promote activities in terms of peace. Every Friday, we have a sports show where we invite coaches to our studios. We also have sports news that is presented by both male and female presenters at the station ` Explains Nyangweso.

Kenya Community Media Network, KCOMNET is a network of 23 community radio stations within 18 counties in Kenya. KCOMNET`S coordinator, Njuki Githethwa says through the network they keep the stations in producing contents in relation to the marginalized. "Our work is essentially to keep on insisting, that the content of programming within community radio should be focused on those sectors of societies, which are marginalized and women, historically have been marginalized. Particularly this year, as affirmative action, in community radios being the heartbeat of the community, if they don’t broadcast centrally issues of women and profile them based on reports about their marginalization in terms of sports and reorganization, then we shall not be doing any service to our communities. So that is our call for the radios" Elaborates Githethwa

Radio has the power to break conflict and differences among communities. World radio day is marked on 13th February, annually. 2018`s theme focuses on `radio and sports for economical development and peace`

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