Kenyan media: Women missing in executive positions

Women are missing in the highest decision making positions in Kenyan media.

This is according to 2022 research findings by World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers, Women in News (WAN-IFRA) on Media Leadership Mapping.

The researchers examined 17 countries from the Africa, Arab and Southeast Asia regions from which 192 media companies were sampled. 

They established that in five countries, including Kenya, no woman held a position of a chief executive officer or chairperson.

Social media

Other countries were Somalia, Rwanda, Palestine and Jordan.

In sampling the media companies, the researchers considered their social media reach, circulation, number of employees, political perspectives and variety of medium-print, online and broadcast.

The study sought to establish whether women head the media companies, or are the chiefs of the editorial departments.

It found that women make up only 10 per cent of the business leads- chief executive officer or chairperson)in the sampled countries and constitute 31 per cent  of editorial leads - Editor in Chief or Executive Editor.

Business leads

However, none of the countries had more than 25 per cent of the women holding top business positions. 

Philippines led with 22 per cent of women business leads and 78 per cent of women editorial leads.

In Africa, Zambia leads with 20 per cent of women business leads and 57 per cent of women editorial leads.

Tanzania comes second with 56 per cent of women editorial leads but only 10 per cent women business leads.

Malawi is third with 42 per cent women editorial leads and 10 per cent women business leads.

Kenya is fourth with 33 per cent of women editorial leads, but zero women business leads.

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