DOI: 10.36347/sjahss.2021.v09i04.002

Pages: 100-107

Makutano Junction (MJ) is a serial television drama that uses Entertainment Education (EE) as a communication strategy to inform viewers about citizen participation, political and socio-economic development issues. In this paper, reference is made to Season Eleven of Makutano Junction with an aim to determine how MJ plotlines promoted audience participation among citizens. Season Eleven of MJ was aired in the year 2011 with the aim of educating citizens on their rights and responsibilities as enshrined in the governing Constitution of Kenya, 2010. The study, guided by the Social Learning theory elucidated audience involvement with MJ. The study adopted a sequential mixed-method employing both quantitative and qualitative research approaches to data collection. The target population comprised 250 viewers of the drama series in Pioneer Location, Uasin Gishu, Kenya from which a sample size of 57 active viewers were purposively selected. Data analysis was done by way of thematic analysis forming a basis for discussion of emerging themes. This study established that there were desirable changes in knowledge and attitudes of audiences who viewed MJ hence the social set up and social roles affect the selection, uses and effects of media content by the audience. The study also recommends that EE message designers should understand the effect that such programmes have on the viewers and take advantage of digital explosion and broadband services to produce diverse media formats and content for a wider reach.