1995 Volume 9 No. 3 The Marxist Legacy in Media and Cultural Studies: Implications for Africa by Keyan G. Tomaselli Freedom of Expression in Kenya and USA: A Comparison by Faith W. Gathu Media Uses and Gratifications: A Review by Bernard Nnamdi Emenyeonu African Council for Communication Education Copyright © 1995 (ACCE) Nairobi, Kenya ISSN 0258-4913 Africa Media Review provides a forum for the study of communication theory, practice-and policy in African countries. It is published three times a year by the ACCE Institute for Communication Development and Research, P. O. Box 47495, Nairobi, Kenya. Telephone: 227043/216135/215270/334244 ext.28068 Telex: 25148 ACCE KE. Correspondence and Advertising Authors should send contributions to the Managing Editor, ACCE Institute for Communication Development and Research, P. O. Box 47495, Nairobi, Kenya. Books for review, book review articles and all other matters regarding AMR should be sent to the same address. Annual Subscription Rate Africa US$45:00 Outside Africa US$60:00 These rates include packaging and postage. Single copies are US$ 15:00 within Africa and US$ 20:00 outside Africa. Cheques and money orders should be made payable to African Council for Communication Education and sent to the above address. Special arrange- ments will be entered into where applicable for subscribers in Africa through their nearest ACCE national co-ordlnator. ACCE institutional and individual members receive AMR as part of membership privileges. Managing Editor Editorial Assistants Circulation Dr. Charles Okigbo, African Council for Communication Education, Nairobi, Kenya. Charles Ongadi Nyambuga, Christine Kyayonka, African Council for Commu- nication Education, Nairobi, Kenya. Phyllis Ngige, African Council for Com- munication Education, Nairobi, Kenya. ACCE President Dr. Francis Wete, University of Yaounde, Cameroon. Comments on this Issue This issue of AMR deals with the theme of socio-political development and communication in Africa. The first article by Keyan G. Tomaselli lucidly discusses the relationship between political ideology and the various approaches to cultural studies. Peter Wanyande's article examines media state relations in Kenya. He exposes the conflict inherent in their uneasy relations with the government since the advent of multi-party politics in the country. The article "Press Freedom and the Imperatives of Democracy: Towards Sustainable Development" by Ritchard M'Bayo, Chuka Onwumechili and Cosmas Nwokeafor points at the pivotal role of press freedom in the sustainable development of Africa. Faith Gathu's paper "Freedom of Expression in Kenya and the USA: A Comparison" notes that press freedom in the USA is expressly stated in the constitution while in Kenya it is silent and derived from individual freedom of expression. She argues that interpretation of freedom of the press varies from one country to another, in spite of the universality of the concept. Nnamdi Emenyeonu in the article "Media Uses and Grati- fications: A Review" attempts to show that uses and gratifica- tions research has a universal application in many contexts, including development communication. All the five papers share a common concern in the purposive use of communication in supporting genuine and sustainable development of Africa. Charles Nyambuga Table of Contents 1 The Marxist Legacy in Media and Cultural Studies: Implications for Africa by Keyan G. Tomaselli 32 Press Freedom and the Imperatives of Democracy: To- wards Sustainable Development by Ritchard M'Bayo, Cosmas Nwokeafor and Chuka Onwumechili 54 Mass Media-State Relations in Post-Colonial Kenya by Peter Wanyande 76 Freedom of Expression in Kenya and USA: A Comparison by Faith W. Gathu 90 Media Uses and Gratifications: A Review by Bernard Nnamdi Emenyeonu