Investigating the role of media in communicating messages on the elimination of child labour in Zambia: The case of Muvi and its audience in Ndola's Chipulukusu, Nkwazi and Twapia Townships

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the role of media in communicating messages on the elimination of child labour. Muvi TV was the channel of communication that was considered. The study was in three townships of Ndola namely Chipulukusu, Nkwazi and Twapia. The aim of this research was to ascertain if Muvi TV, in its dealing with the community stories, had exposed the child labour vices in order to raise awareness and reduce them. A combination of exploratory and analytical research designs were used. Qualitative methods included Focus Group Discussion-FGD, In-depth Interviews, while for quantitative methods, quantitative surveys of respondents in the said townships were conducted, and a content analysis of Muvi TV programming was done. The 120 children were found through accidental sampling based on their having been present at the time of research in the Central Business District of Ndola where child-labour activities abound. Multi-cluster sampling was used to identify 120 parents/guardians from the three townships. Computer software was used for descriptive statistics and crosstabs. NVIVO was used to construct themes for qualitative data. The findings were that, during the study time from 2013 October to 2015 April, Muvi TV did not do much in setting the agendum on child labour issues. News items concerning the matter were broadcast like any other, without special emphasis, or pointers to child labour related problems. No documentaries or magazines were made specifically on child labour by Muvi TV. Technocrats interviewed hardly work with Muvi TV on child labour issues and treated the matter as a minor one. Some of them were not knowledgeable about child labour matters. It appears that lack of good training for reporters on child labour and lack of editorial policy guidelines may be partially to blame. Bad reception by Muvi TV in some areas contributed to the low levels of awareness. Thus, many stakeholders including journalists must be trained on child labour items. Marketeers and Councils must be incorporated in the elimination of child labour. Muvi TV to use edutainment in producing programmes on child labour. Government must increase funding to the provision of adult literacy programme and reduce duty on solar panels.