Fourth International Conference on Communication & Media Studies

Abstract

This paper addresses the changing landscape of journalism by focusing on Swahili language discourse and technology in print and online platforms in Kenya. It is an interdisciplinary case-study employing Corpus Discourse Analytical methods in analyzing Swahili text from Taifa Leo Newspaper and Swahilihub website in Kenya for over five decades (1958 to 2017). The study investigates the evolution of technology defining features of technological change and identifying each moment of technological innovation phase according to the dominant technology used. Sample corpus was collected from each of the five technological innovation eras and converted to plain text by use of a Linux computational environment. Corpus analyzing computer tools (AntConc3.4.3) is used on the corpora to establish language characteristics and partners that inform us of the existing discourse in each phase. Data collected from in-depth interviews with purposively sampled media practitioners is also analyzed together with the discourse inferences from the corpus. This is used in establishing the complexity of the changing landscape in the journalism over the periods of technology changes. by assessing the relationship that exist. The findings are evaluated against the inherent characteristics of the technological innovation phase through the eye of Media Linguistics Theory to contextualize technology as a social process and a media channel in production. A relationship between change of media technology and Swahili language discourse in journalism within the changing space in journalism is examined.