Paper short abstract:

This paper reveals the convergence between Twitter and mainstream traditional media in reporting war in Kenya, and how the entrance of al-Shabaab into Twitter disrupted the hegemonic voice of a war previously dominated by the more 'legitimate' Kenya Defence Force Twitter account.

Paper long abstract:

Before the close of 2011, Kenya launched its own local version of a 'war on terror' following persistent border incursions by the al-Qaida affiliated al-Shabaab militant group. In a conflict that was seen by many to be fought largely through modern military hardware, the emergence and effective use of social media as yet another site of this warfare reflected the growing influence of new media in mobilizing, debating and circulating issues of public interest. Specifically, this paper reveals the particular frames that were used in Twitter to keep members of the public informed on the front line developments of the military campaign. Secondly, the study shows how the entrance of al-Shabaab into Twitter disrupted the hegemonic voice of a war previously dominated by the more 'legitimate' KDF Twitter account (Kenya Defense Force). And finally, in a situation where Twitter discourse was perceived and defined by the KDF as the official account of the war, this paper shows how the new and the old media converged in news reports drawn from Kenya's leading newspapers.

Key words: Twitter, Frames, Mainstream/Traditional Media, New Media, Convergence