Call for Proposals to Consult on Media and Stakeholder Analysis
Deadline: Friday February 19
Creating informed and inclusive stakeholder and public debate for access to Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) information and services in Kenya
Terms of Reference – SRH Media Content Analysis or Media Scan and Stakeholder Mapping: Kenya
Consultant
APHRC and Panos wish to hire a consultant to undertake a media scan and mapping in Kenya to the specifications outlined in this terms of reference (ToR).
The scan and stakeholder mapping should take no more than 20 days.
The final deadline for submission is April 1, 2010.
Deliverables/outputs:
1. A report of findings from selected Kenyan media
2. An analysis of media content on SRH issues and existing gaps
3. All raw data collected and recorded during the scan must be shared with APHRC and Panos London (i.e. interviews with stakeholders, content analysis data, media coverage collected where relevant)
4. A final narrative report on the project results and processes, including lessons learned.
Abstract
This project calls for conducting a quantitative and qualitative content analysis of four print and four broadcast media for a sample period (e.g. 14 days) in 2009 to capture how the media cover social issues, particularly health and SRH.
Qualitative inquiry will be necessary to dig deeper into the nature of SRH coverage in the media.
These will be complemented with a mapping of stakeholders to identify dominant views on SRH and how research uptake can be encouraged.
A draft report is expected by April 1.
APHRC staff will be available for regular consultation by the media research team members.
Submit your proposals before Friday Feb 19 to Mr. Chaacha Mwita cmwita @ aphrc.org
The Project
APHRC and Panos London have secured funds from the UK-based Wellcome Trust for a 12-month project aimed at establishing a coalition of capable and committed stakeholders to create informed and inclusive media, public and policy debates around SRH information, rights and access to services in Kenya (informed by social, medical and science research, best practice and those most affected by the issues).
The goal is to contribute to changes so that SRH policy and practice are evidence-based and respond to real needs. Activities include a media analysis and stakeholder mapping to identify gaps in media coverage of SRH issues and SRH research; community consultation with communities most affected by SRH issues, multi-stakeholder engagement - with editors, journalists, researchers and policymakers; and international and national advocacy for research communication around SRH.
This RFP addresses only the media content analysis part of the project.
Purpose of the Media Content Analysis and Stakeholder Mapping
The purpose of the media content analysis or media scan and mapping is to assess media coverage and stakeholder engagement on research communication of SRH in Kenya, identifying gaps in media coverage and barriers to research communication and stakeholder engagement (who is involved in debate around SRH and who is not).
The media scan and stakeholder mapping builds on the African Population Health Research Center (APHRC)’s 2008 study of wider health and population issues which found poor coverage in Kenya’s two mainstream newspapers (few articles, limited space allocated, editors not giving health issues prominence and lack of deep analysis).
Objectives:
* The media content analysis or media scan will assess the nature of and extent to which content on SRH was covered by a select number of Kenyan print and broadcast media outlets in the preceding year (2009). It will:
1. Determine if/how research is featured and whether views and voices of those affected are represented.
2. Identify critical gaps where research findings/stories are being missed by consulting researchers.
* Identify key stakeholders including editors, researchers, CSO directors and policymakers and assess the extent to which they are/are not currently involved in communicating research on SRH, as well as their capacity to do so, and what links exist between these actors.
1. Stakeholder Mapping and identification of key issues and stakeholders
To identify key stakeholders from research, media, policy and civil society sectors in Kenya
* These will include champions who are already active in getting SRH issues publicly debated as well as newcomers who have shown a nascent interest in SRH issues, related health issues or in reporting on research
* To identify opportunities for creating sustained media debate on SRH issues
2. Identify existing attitudes and experience of interaction between the media and research around SRH
* Understand what the key topics and issues around SRH are from different stakeholders perspective
* Identify and collect media content drawing on research on SRH (identified and provided by researchers and journalists)
3. Assess how and how well research is dealt with (if at all) in the media
* To assess media content to unpack how (if at all) SRH research is being covered in the media. Is research frequently quoted as a source, or never? Are reports cited, or have journalists interviewed researchers? Have journalists successfully found the ‘story’ in the research? Have they put it in context and made links to policy? Have they asked questions of or scrutinised research? Have they included other sources such as CSOs or policymakers? Have they included the voices and views of poor people/those most affected by the issue?
* To identify which SRH issues are already/more frequently being picked up by the media (and whether different media highlight different issues)
4. To identify gaps in media coverage on SRH
* To identify stories and messages which are being missed by media in Kenya, particularly by comparing what is being covered in the media to a list of topic areas focused on/identified as important by research/researchers working on SRH issues
* Identify under-explored/under-reported issues that merit stronger insertion/debate in the public arena because of their crucial relevance to improving healthcare policy
* Assess the Impact/relevance of the issues on/to people, particularly the poor
* Identify potential for the generation of public debate based on stronger ‘voice’, eg through media-researcher engagement with civil society organisations working on improving access to SRH services
* Potential for insights on SRH policy governance: organisation, participation and voice in decision-making, interest group representation
* Identify potential to highlight gender focus/dimensions in public debates
5. To feed into subsequent project activities
* The results will inform a Multi-stakeholder Forum and policy brief to engage critical stakeholders and influence national and international policymakers.
* The media content analysis or media scan report will be presented at a Multi-stakeholder Forum, scheduled for May 2010 which will be attended by key policy-makers, researchers, journalists, editors, civil society representatives and policy makers.
* These participants will be identified through stakeholder mapping
Methodology
The primary method is a quantitative and qualitative analysis of a sample of Kenyan print and electronic media (which will be selected by APHRC and the consultant) to characterize coverage of major issues including health, especially SRH.
The second method is identification and interviews of about 15 carefully selected stakeholders in SRH for their views, using a questionnaire or interview guide. These people will represent research, media, policy and CSO groups in Kenya. More details on the methods are as follows:
1a. Quantitative Media Content Analysis or Media Scan
* Identify select media outlets (approximately 4 print, 4 broadcast). Select a range including those most likely to have policymakers as key audiences and those most likely to reach wide publics and poor communities, including vernacular media.
* Time period: Select a relevant period of time to conduct the media scan (for example, last 12 months or the 2009 calendar year)
* Choose major content categories for coding – such as politics, gender, religion, health, population, education, etc
* Focus more on health and SRH coverage to characterize accordingly
* Look at key issues/findings identified by researchers, journalists, editors, CSOs and policymakers
1b. Qualitative Media Content Analysis
In addition to quantitative data, collect relevant qualitative features of SRH stories to paint a comprehensive picture of media coverage of these issues
2. Stakeholder Mapping and identification of key issues and stakeholders
* Scope out relevant institutions, stakeholders [processes] and partners through interviews with researchers, media, civil society and policy-makers
* Scan media to produce a list of key actors/stakeholders appearing in the media (journalists who have written the articles, researchers, policymakers, CSOs, departments mentioned or quoted); Identify key issues covered
* Output: annotated list of actors (institutions and individuals) and issues
3. Identify existing attitudes and experience of interaction between the media and research around SRH
Interviews
* Identify select policymakers, CSOs and community groups to interview about their experience and attitudes to engaging with media and research
* Select a sample (around 15 individuals) to interview in person
4. Assessment of Coverage and Engagement (Analysis): A Holistic View
* Identify gaps/opportunities in existing/future media coverage of SRH issues Health/science/medical researchers will be ‘critical readers’ to comment on current and important research in the field and set the existing media environment against a wider and more dynamic body of health and related research. This will also reveal issues missing from the agenda.
* Strengths and weaknesses of media-research practice and interaction identified for attention
* Media and research champions identified as source of good practice and learning
* Key insights yielded on gaps/connections between media coverage, policy research, wider stakeholder communication and the policy process
Reporting
* Submission of first draft of the report for preliminary review will be in March/April
* Submission of final report incorporating feedback from reviewers will be in April/May
Contact
Interested consultants should submit their bids describing their research approach/method and remuneration expectations to Mr. Chaacha Mwita, APHRC, P.O Box 10787, 00100, GPO, Nairobi, Kenya. cmwita @ aphrc.org.
The deadline for submissions is Friday Feb 19.
Only short listed candidates will be invited to present to the interview committee within one week after the deadline.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
APHRC and Panos Call for Proposals to Consult on Media and Stakeholder Analysis
