Representation of official languages on South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) television: A study of selected Tshivenda programmes

Date
2022-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is the official public broadcaster in South Africa. Part of its responsibilities, informed by the public broadcasting service model (PBS), is to cater for all South Africans in their different languages. The Independent Communication Authority of South Africa (ICASA, 2000), is the statutory body responsible for regulating the distribution of the official languages on SABC’s public broadcasting service based on a“ language quota” stipulation in the corporation’s broadcasting licenses. With Tshivenda being one of the 11 official languages, this study sought to investigate how it is represented on SABC2 television. The social responsibility theory was used to underpin this study recognizing its emphasis on the importance of the media to serve its audiences indiscriminately including language use. This is a qualitative research project which used focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews to gather data from participants who were selected using non-probability sampling method in Limpopo and the SABC2 management respectively. For document analysis, the SABC editorial policy, which draws qualitative elements; and the SABC2 programming schedules which have quantitative elements were used. The number of programmes broadcast in Tshivenda in a period under study is counted. The study found that SABC2 does not represent the South African official languages equally leading to audiences to call for better programming.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Suid-Afrikaanse Uitsaaikorporasie (SAUK) is die amptelike openbare uitsaaier in Suid-Afrika. Deel van sy verantwoordelikhede, ingelig deur die openbare uitsaaidiensmodel (PBS), is om voorsiening te maak vir alle Suid-Afrikaners in hul verskillende tale. Die Onafhanklike Kommunikasie-owerheid van Suid-Afrika (ICASA, 2000), is die statutere liggaam wat verantwoordelik is vir die regulering van die verspreiding van die amptelike tale op SAUK se openbare uitsaaidiens gebaseer op 'n "taalkwota"-bepaling in die korporasie se uitsaailisensies. Met Tshivenda as een van die 11 amptelike tale, het hierdie studie gepoog om te ondersoek hoe dit op SABC2-televisie verteenwoordig word. Die sosiale verantwoordelikheidsteorie is gebruik om hierdie studie te ondersteun, met erkenning van die klem daarvan op die belangrikheid van die media om sy gehore onoordeelkundig te bedien, insluitend taalgebruik. Hierdie is 'n kwalitatiewe navorsingstudie wat fokusgroepbesprekings en semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude gebruik het om data in te samel van deelnemers wat met 'n nie-waarskynlikheidsteekproefmetode in onderskeidelik Limpopo en die SABC2-bestuur geselekteer is. Vir dokumentontleding is die SAUK-redaksionele beleid, wat kwalitatiewe elemente betrek; en die SABC2-programmeringskedules wat kwantitatiewe elemente het, gebruik. Die aantal programme wat in Tshivenda uitgesaai word in 'n tydperk wat bestudeer word, is getel. Die studie het bevind dat SABC2 nie die Suid-Afrikaanse amptelike tale gelykmatig verteenwoordig nie, wat daartoe lei dat gehore vir beter programmering vra.
Description
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.
Keywords
South African Broadcasting Corporation, SABC, Public broadcasting -- South Africa, ICASA, Independant Communications Authority of South Africa, Language policy -- South Africa, African languages -- South Africa, Venda language, Tsivenda language, Television broadcasting -- Programming, UCTD
Citation