Religion and public broadcasting in South Africa

Scharnick-Udemans, Lee-Shae

Religion and public broadcasting in South Africa

Doctoral Thesis

2016

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Department of Religious Studies

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Abstract

The advent of democracy in South Africa ushered in a new paradigm for freedom of religion and freedom of expression. Public broadcasting in general and the South African Broadcasting Corporation in particular constituted critical sites where the material possibilities and impossibilities of these rights were to be defined, negotiated, and regulated. This thesis investigates the role of religion in the history and development of the South African mediascape. Substantial chapters analyse the role of religion in the banning and introduction of television under apartheid, the place of religion in the formulation of new media policy in the democratic era, and the regulatory role of the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa in dealing with allegations of religious offense, blasphemy, defamation, and incitement to violence. From the television controversy in apartheid South Africa to postapartheid media policy and practice, the thesis uncovers issues of religious legitimation, religious regulation, freedom of expression, and freedom of religion in relation to the multiple configurations of religion, media, and politics. The way that the media industry and its regulatory bodies engage with religion, whether through production, dissemination, or regulation, is expected to be underlined in policy and practice by the constitutional mandate to balance freedom of expression against other rights that might be at stake in the mediasphere. Whereas freedom of expression is considered the defining framework for broadcast media, freedom of religion is subject to regulation. As the first extended study of religion and media in South Africa, this thesis shows that as a result of the deeply rooted Christian national heritage of public broadcasting and the Western Christian orientation of the constitutional democracy, Christian normative sensibilities regarding religion have been sustained within the institutional structures that govern the political economy of religion and public broadcasting.

Keywords

Religious Studies

Reference:

Collections

PhD / Doctoral

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