Chapter 1: Identify a research problem

Mass communication research in broadcast journalism is essential for producing content that resonates with audiences and meets professional standards. Identifying a precise research problem is the foundation of any successful study, guiding the inquiry and ensuring relevance to the media landscape in Kenya. Journalists and media researchers must therefore master the skill of defining research problems that reflect current societal issues, audience interests, and institutional goals. This chapter explores the concept of a research problem, its definition, and its critical role in broadcast journalism research.

1.1 Definition of research

Research is a planned, step-by-step enquiry that gathers evidence and examines it carefully in order to answer a question or solve a problem. The answer rests on data that anyone could check, not on opinion, habit or a hunch. Example: the programme manager of a radio station believes that listeners switch off during the long advertisement break in the evening news. Asking two colleagues proves nothing, but counting audience figures minute by minute over several weeks and comparing them with the break times is research.

In broadcasting, research gives the newsroom and the station management facts to work with: who is listening or watching, what they understand, what they trust and what they want next. A journalist who can design and read research is able to separate what is known from what is merely believed.

What research means

The word research is made of re (again) and search (to look closely). It describes looking closely, and then looking again to confirm what was seen. Three ideas sit inside every good definition:

• Systematic: the work follows a plan with a clear order, from the question to the findings, so that nothing is left to chance.
• Evidence-based: conclusions come from information collected for the purpose, such as audience figures, interview records or archived bulletins.
• Purposeful: the work answers a stated question, for example "Which of the three bulletins gives viewers the clearest explanation of a budget story?"

Research can therefore be defined as the systematic collection, analysis and interpretation of information to increase understanding of a subject or to guide a decision.

Features of research

Work counts as research only when it shows these features.

• Systematic and organised: each stage follows the one before it. A researcher who starts interviewing before deciding what to find out will collect material that cannot be compared.
• Empirical: it relies on what can be observed or measured, such as counts of social media comments on a news video or the answers in a listener questionnaire.
• Objective: the researcher puts personal views aside and reports what the evidence shows, even when the result is unwelcome to the station.
• Logical: each conclusion follows from the evidence, and the reasoning can be traced step by step.
• Replicable: another researcher who follows the same method in the same conditions should reach similar results. This is why the method is written down in detail.
• Ethical: participants are not harmed or misled, their consent is respected and their identities are protected where they asked for it.
• Cumulative: a study builds on earlier work and adds to it, so findings about radio listening in one season can be compared with a later season.

Research compared with everyday news gathering

A reporter and a researcher both ask questions, but their aims and methods differ.

The two meet in practice. A news desk that wants to know whether its election coverage was balanced may count airtime given to each party across a month: this is research carried out with a journalist's skills.

Research and investigative reporting

Investigative reporting digs into a matter that someone wants hidden, and it ends in a story that exposes it. Research may use some of the same tools, such as interviews and documents, but it seeks answers that apply beyond a single case and its method is open to checking. A documentary team may research how often rural radio stations broadcast farming advice before the planting season, and may report the answer without exposing anyone.

Key terms in the definition

• Data: the raw items collected, for example tallies, recorded answers, transcripts or ratings.
• Evidence: data that has been checked and shown to bear on the question.
• Findings: what the evidence shows after analysis.
• Source: the person, document, record or measurement from which data comes.
• Method: the way the data is collected and analysed, such as a survey, an interview or a content count.

The research process at a glance

Research follows a sequence that the later chapters of this unit teach one stage at a time. Here it is only introduced:

1. Identify a problem worth studying.
2. State what the study aims to find out.
3. Read what has already been written on the subject.
4. Choose the design and the instruments.
5. Collect the data.
6. Analyse and interpret the data.
7. Report the findings in writing.

A television newsroom that wants to learn why viewers abandon its late bulletin would pass through all seven stages, whether the study takes a week or a term.

Chapter Summary

This chapter explored the concept of a research problem, defining it as the specific issue or gap that a study aims to address. It emphasized the importance of research in generating knowledge, solving practical challenges, and informing decision-making across various fields. The chapter outlined different types of research, including qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods, highlighting their distinct approaches and purposes. Attention was given to common problems encountered in research such as unclear focus, bias, and lack of feasibility. Formulating a research problem was shown as a step-by-step process that moves from a broad topic to a precise statement. The chapter also identified multiple sources from which research problems can arise, including literature reviews, observations, and stakeholder needs. Essential qualities of good problem statements were discussed, underscoring clarity, specificity, and relevance. Finally, the chapter addressed the attributes of effective research objectives, stressing that they should be measurable, achievable, and aligned with the problem statement.