The broadcasting of politics in South Africa

Silke, Daniel

The broadcasting of politics in South Africa

Master Thesis

1990

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Department of Political Studies

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Abstract

This dissertation studies the broadcasting of politics in South Africa from 1920 to the end of the P. W. Botha era in 1989; that is, the reaction of radio and television to the changing political environment. Since 1948 South Africa's broadcasting system has increasingly been influenced by the ruling National Party as they strengthened their authority. This follows the Lasswell communications model which emphasizes the role of the controller in the communications flow as well as Fagen's and Siebert's description of authoritarianism as a national political system. A study of the historical legacy of broadcasting in South Africa clearly shows an authoritarian orientation. This is accomplished through an investigation utilizing historical material including Tomaselli as well as press reports and Hansard. The advent of television has seen this maintained in a variety of forms. The key question confronting the reader is whether or not there exists change away from the authoritarian model to a more liberalistic trend. The author details a number of visible inconsistencies and anomalies that are present both within radio and television. These are shown to markedly contradict with the control model of the past and highlight fundamental shifts in the media orientation. These contradictions are a reflection of the socio-political pressures that have recently emerged to influence the National Party. This is a function of the reforming of their past ideology as well as of internal economic advances and political upheavals which increase the influence of non-State elements upon the electronic media as depicted in the De Fleur model. The broadcasting system is increasingly shown to reflect an inclusive picture adapting to the political and economic realities in which it operates. The emerging trend moves away from authoritarianism in a more liberal and pluralistic direction.