Broadcast, infrastructure and services play an essential role in both the modernization and social development of a nation. They have become indispensable to enabling countries to compete on equitable terms in an international community, which is now governed by interdependence and by the imperatives of a global economy. They are therefore critical to the achievement of Africa's recovery. In Africa, the broadcast arena or region offer a diverse range of business opportunities and tremendous scope for expanding both basic and advanced telecommunication servIces. This unique event will be the perfect meeting point for key players from industry and governments of the region. It will be a real opportunity for us to help bridge the Digital Divide and to bring modern communications services within reach of all of Africa's or sub-Saharan Africa or South Africa. The digital divide refers to the unequal distribution of access to information technology resources within or between countries. The digital divide is exacerbated by among other factors, income level, employment inequity, disparities in infrastructure development, racial discrimination, social status, gender inequalities lack of access to information , geographic location, an political influence . The divide creates an environment where disadvantaged groups are unable to contribute to and benefit from the information age and global communities created by the Internet in Sub-Saharan Africa ,efforts to bridge the digital divide mistakenly put great emphasis on 11 the digital imbalance between the rich North and the poor South, and often do not consider the gaps within individual countries. This narrow perception alienates the indigenous knowledge component from efforts to bridge the divide. (Scecsal 2002 The need to extend access to services to all South Africans, in order to integrate our country into the world economy, South Africa has made dramatic improvements in the development of a modem communication infrastructure previously denied to the majority. This study will provide the ideal research opportunity to investigate and appraise new products and services and also to explore the possibilities of acquiring the very latest in broadcast technology. This will be the ultimate networking opportunity, which may give us all a clearer vision of the future. Together, let us add strength and speed to Africa's efforts to Bridge the Digital Divide. / Thesis (MBA) - University of Natal, 2003.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management Sciences: Business Administration, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017. / This qualitative study explored alternative revenue sources within and outside PBS radio stations that can be utilised to improve revenue generation at South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) Public Broadcasting Radio Stations (PBS). PBS radio relies heavily on traditional advertising revenue, sponsorships and TV licence fees, revenue sources are insufficient to sustain public broadcasting radio service in South Africa because funding from the South African Government is limited to specific projects. Public broadcasting radio services in South Africa have to provide content of public value while remaining competitive and profitable. The SABC is the sole owner of fifteen public broadcasting radio stations, making it one of the dominant media owners in South Africa. SABC owns all public broadcasting radio stations and has the highest audience penetration in South Africa which should translate into receiving the highest revenue share. However, this is not the case. Commercial radio stations earn a bigger percentage of the pie of advertising revenue although PBS radio stations command higher audience penetration. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifteen public broadcasting radio station managers and three senior public broadcasting managers to ascertain what alternative sources within and outside the radio station can help improve the revenue of the radio stations. The analysis of the data collected through interviews identified that there are a number of alternative sources which can assist in improving the revenue of the radio stations. It is therefore time that PBS Radio stations monetise their audience and not rely heavily on traditional advertising revenue. Six important alternative revenue sources are identified as follows: • Radio station events and outside broadcasts: Revenue generation potential is immense with opportunities for gate-takings, sponsorship and advertising or promotional revenues. • Broadcast syndication and sale of content: Original programming content and popular music genre playlists are sought after by the public or other entities that are prepared to pay for the content. • Radio Station Websites: Opportunities to generate revenue by marketing website opportunities to the public and advertisers. • Merchandising: Radio audiences like to own radio station branded merchandising like t-shirts, caps and jackets which can be made available at radio stations and retail stores for the public to purchase. • Cellular or mobile phones: Mobile phones provide an interactive element to radio campaign advertisements, competitions, and promotions, which should be monetised as an extension to advertisers‟ radio campaigns. • Social Media Platforms: Radio campaigns are extended to social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter to target a larger audience. / M

Text had abstracts in English and Tshivenda. No keywords / Very few scholars have ventured into language use in media discourse, especially in African Languages. The purpose of this study was to determine the language use in media discourse in the Nḓevhetsini Programme on Phalaphala FM, to investigate linguistic elements that create challenges amongst presenters, reporters, listeners and guest speakers and also the manner in which the message is received by listeners. This study employed a qualitative approach to obtain data from Nḓevhetsini episodes. The episodes were divided into themes identified in order to compare common cases and those that differ in language use amongst presenters, reporters, compilers, listeners and guest speakers engaged on the Nḓevhetsini episodes. The study found that borrowing, code-mixing, dialectal variants use, and not interpreting the English message to listeners bring challenges in language use in media discourse. Language programmes that promote language should be implemented. Rules that guide language use are important in language preservation. / A hu athu tou vha na vhaḓivhi vha maṅwalwa vhe vha sedzulusa kushumisele kwa luambo kha nyanḓadzamafhungo nga maanḓa kha ngudo ya Nyambo dza Vharema. Ndivho ya ngudo yo vha u ṱoḓa u wanulusa kushumisele kwa luambo kha nyanḓadzamafhungo kha mbekanyamushumo ya Nḓevhetsini, ho sedzwa zwiteṅwa zwa luambo zwine zwa vha fha khaedu khathihi na u sedza uri mulaedza u swika nga nḓilaḓe kha vhathetshelesi. Ngudo iyi yo shumisa ngona ya Khwaḽithethivi kha u kuvhanganya mafhungo u bva kha episode ṱhanu. Episode dzo saukanywa u ya nga thero dzo wanalaho hu u itela u ita mbambedzo dza kushumisele kwa luambo dzi fanaho na dzi sa faniho. Ngudo iyi yo wanulusa uri u hadzima, u ṱanganyiswa ha maipfi kana mafurase a nyambo dzo fhambanaho, na u sa pindulelwa ha milaedza ya English ndi khaedu. Milaedza i hashiwaho nga English i ṋea vhathetshelesi khaedu kha kushumisele kwa luambo kha khasho. Mbekanyamushumo na milayo i ṱuṱuwedzaho tshumiso ya Tshivenḓa zwi tea u sikiwa. / African Languages / M.A. (African Languages)

This thesis is an historiographical and sociological study of Indian South African broadcasting and the music industry between 1924 and 1983. A multilevel approach which integrates empirical and cultural materialist critical theoretical methodologies reveals the relationships between the media, industry, economy, politics, and culture. Until the sixties, Indian South Africans were denied the civic rights that were taken for granted by white South Africans. Broadcasting, for them, was to be a concession. On being declared South Africans, broadcast programmes were expanded and designed to pacify and Indianise Indian South Africans, preparing them for their role as a middle-class racially defined group, a homelands group without a homeland. South Africanised popular music, and Indian South African Western semi-classical, popular music, or jazz performance was rejected by the SABC. Ambiguous nationalisms shaped Indian South African aesthetics. Global monopoly controlled the music industry. Similarly, disruptions in the global market enabled local musicians and small business groups to challenge the majors. In the late forties and fifties, this resulted in a number of locally manufactured records featuring local and visiting musicians, and special distribution rights under royalty to an independent South Asian company. The local South African records were largely characterised by their syncretic nature, and generated a South African modernism which had the capacity both to draw and repel audiences and officials alike. A glossary of non-English terms and a discography of Indian South African music have been included. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1999.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Global economic conditions are forcing donor and development agencies to reduce aid to developing countries and communities. This reduction is resulting in less developmental programmes for disadvantaged communities. To ensure that developmental programmes are implemented successfully and cost effectively, implementing agents will have to ensure that they improve their developmental communication. It is also becoming important that those who are to benefit from developmental programmes convey or identify exactly what their needs are. There should be very little speculation from development agencies about what the needs of the disadvantaged are. It is becoming necessary to review current developmental tools, methods and systems, and also to explore what other measures can be applied to ensure that speculation or time and money wasting exercises are eliminated. This study attempts to look at two things that will influence effective development communication. The first is to examine if community radio is still as an efficient developmental communication tool as perhaps two decades ago. Secondly, it looks at the possibility to tailor-make information for those who need develop, especially in the context of evolving technology.

This thesis deals with the introduction of participatory research methods to programming staff working at Radio KC, a South African community radio station based in Paarl, in the Western Cape province. The focus is on a series of workshops conducted at the station, dealing with research tools developed to enable station workers to undertake research of their community. The aim was to determine, by means ofa case study, whether the introduction of participatory research methods could improve the ability of community broadcasters to facilitate democratic participation among the communities in which they operate. More particularly, the thesis assesses whether the application of such methods has improved the ability of the programming staff that were involved in this case study to identify a wider range of stories and voices within their target community, for inclusion in programming content. The participatory research techniques that are applied at the radio station are based on ideas in 'civic mapping' developed by Harwood and McCrehan (1996) under the auspices of The Pew Center for Civic Journalism, and supplemented by insights from Friedland (2001) and Downs and Stea (1977) about the cognitive, normative and imagined dimensions of community. All of the ideas and techniques were adapted for the South African situation. The findings of the research project illustrate that for community stations, the key concepts of 'community' and 'participation' are highly complex ones and that stations need assistance to apply these concepts in their everyday practice. The account of the intervention at Radio KC shows that the process did indeed assist the individual research participants to better deal with the application of these concepts. It did not, however, make much impact on the station as a whole. Reasons for this are believed to lie in the organisational dynamics of the station, and the fact that the model as applied in this case did not provide a means for tackling the agendas, investments and power relations that define the activities of individuals at a given community radio station - what Hochheimer (1993) talks about as the entrenchment of power and personalities. In order to address these shortcomings, an attempt is made to develop a model for future application, which places the mapping process within the context of a broader strategic planning process, focussed on a station's programming schedule.

Thesis (M. A. (Media Studies)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / Culture gives identity to the people, that which should run from one generation to another. In this information age, media are expected to be carriers of culture to help sustain its transmission through generations. This case study explored the role of the South African public broadcaster in sustaining African traditional culture concerning SABC 2 soap opera named Muvhango. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with a sample of 25 participants from Tshakhuma village in Vhembe District. The study hypothesised that there is a misrepresentation of reality in soap opera. However, the findings of the study prove that media representations about tradition are a true reflection of the culture impersonated. The results have shown that there is a good relationship between the media and culture, which the media as transmitters of culture are fulfilling. The findings of the study have proven sustainability of culture. However, thorough research is encouraged for content producers to have more accurate and truthful representation.

The study investigates the educational role of the public service broadcaster in post-apartheid South Africa. The aim was to investigate the educational role of the programme Shift as part of the content offering of the public broadcaster and the extent to which it satisfies the educational needs of its audiences. The main objective of the study is to investigate factors that influence the educational role of the SABC. The study focused on three different forms of educational television which are the formal, informal and no-formal education. The theoretical point of departure is the critical political economy theory, and the public interest theory which focuses on the interests of the public. A content analysis of Shift was conducted to determine the educational role of this programme. The study also investigates how political and economic factors influence the educational role of the SABC in the post-apartheid South Africa. The study also examines the impact that media funding can have on the educational role of the public broadcaster. The episodes of Shift are analysed in order to understand if political and economic factors can influence the educational role of the SABC. The study critically analysed whether the relevant media policies are driven by profit making motives. / Communication Science / M.A. (Communication)

An exposition of South African English radio drama tracing the historical, cultural and political issues which led to the demise of the art form in 1999, and its resurrection at ICASA’s insistence in 2006. The research demonstrates the ideological influences of both British Imperialism and Afrikaner Nationalism on the development of South African radio drama, drawing parallels between the development of Afrikaans radio drama, Zulu radio drama and English radio drama. The study also deconstructs the role played by English language radio drama in underpinning the ideologies of whiteness, and illustrates attempts made towards transformation from 1985. The recent development of an essentially South African form of radio drama is described, and the effects of new ideological constraints imposed by the SABC are discussed. The study also provides a critical lens through which the SABC’s failure to observe its public service mandate is made evident. / Afrikaans & Literature / M. A. (Afrikaans & Theory of Literature)

This study sets out to investigate Lunchtime Live, a twice-weekly, one-hour long current affairs show broadcast on a small community radio station, Radio Grahamstown, to understand its role in the local public sphere, and its value in helping civil society’s understanding of and involvement in the power structures and political activities in Grahamstown. Lunchtime Live seeks to cultivate a collective identity and promote public participation in the public affairs of Grahamstown. As a key avenue of investigation, this study seeks to test theory against practice, by evaluating Lunchtime Live’s aspirations against the audiences’ perception of it. This investigation uses qualitative content analysis of selected episodes of recorded transcripts of the shows that aired between August 2010 and March 2011, together with the audiences’ verbalised experiences of this programme through focus group discussions. The study principally uses qualitative research informed by reception theory. The research reveals three key findings. First, that resonance rather than resistance is the more dominant ‘stance’ or ‘attitude’ towards the content of Lunchtime Live. Residents interviewed agreed that the programme is able to give a “realistic” representation of their worldview, and thus is able to articulate issues that affect their lives. Second, that whilst the programme is helping establish links between members of the civil society as well as between civil society and their political representatives, residents feel that local democracy is failing to bring qualitative improvements to their everyday lives and that more ‘participation’ is unlikely to change this. Most respondents blame this on a lack of political will, incompetence, corruption and populist rhetoric by politicians who fail to deliver on the mantra of ‘a better life for all’ in the socioeconomic sphere. The study finds a scepticism and even cynicism that participatory media seems to be able to do little to dilute. Thirdly, in spite of the largely positive view about Lunchtime Live’s capacity to be a platform for public engagement, its participatory potential is structurally constrained by the material privations of most of its listeners. Given that in order to participate in talk shows and discussions audience members have to phone in, economic deprivation often precludes this. It is clear from this research that despite shows such as Lunchtime Live that are exploring new techniques of popular involvement, the voice of the ordinary people still struggles to be heard.