151 Country Report: Information Network
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This post brings together a group of diverse information sources in and around South Africa to provide a better image of the country and its information network as a whole.
Newspapers
Sunday Times
https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/
The Sunday Times is a weekly newspaper published on Sundays in South Africa. The newspaper is published both physically and digitally in English and can be accessed either by personal subscription to a physical copy which is delivered to subscribers’ homes or through digital access through the Sunday Times website. The newspaper is unique to South Africa and reports on all the usual newspaper information, such as current events, politics, the economy, and pop culture, among many other things. The Sunday Times is commonly regarded as a fairly factual source, with a slight bias to the right with a more conservative-leaning. While the Sunday Times is a beneficial news source, there is a significant barrier to access as people must subscribe before they are able to access most content and information.
The Sunday Times is an important source as one of the leading newspapers in South Africa that inform many South Africans on what is happening in the country, which is why I chose it as an important source to gain a full picture of South Africa.
The Mail & Guardian
The Mail & Guardian is a newspaper published weekly in South Africa’s largest city, Johannesburg. The newspaper is published as a printed paper each week and also provides a digital website to readers. The paper is published in English and can be accessed either by personal subscription to a physical copy which is delivered to subscribers’ homes or through digital access through the M&G website. The newspaper is unique to South Africa and is an investigative news source reporting investigative journalism on local news and pop culture.
The Citizen
The CItizen is a newspaper published daily in Gauteng, a province of South Africa. The newspaper is published as a printed paper Monday through Friday and also provides a digital website to readers. The paper is published in English and can be accessed either by personal subscription to a physical copy which is delivered to subscribers’ homes or through digital access through the website. The Citizen provides news in the areas of; breaking news, business, sport, lifestyle and entertainment, motoring, horseracing, gaming, and auctions. While the Citizen aims to provide unbiased news and information to its readers, the paper also caters to its target audience in niche areas and may lean towards certain views shaped by the readers.
African Business
African Business is a magazine published weekly in Kenya and focuses on African business affairs. The newspaper is published as a printed magazine each week and also provides a digital website to readers. The paper is published in English and can be accessed either by personal subscription to a physical copy which is delivered to subscribers’ homes or through digital access through the African Business website. The African Business website provides unbiased reporting on business news, but also publishes opinion pieces with certain viewpoints depending on the topic and the author. This is an important source for viewing the economy and business sectors of South Africa.
Isolezwe
https://www-pressreader-com.proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/south-africa/isolezwe
Isolezwe is a newspaper published daily in Durban, SA, and focuses on the everyday activities popular among the young Zulu population. The newspaper is published as a printed paper every day and also provides a digital website to readers. The paper is published in Zulu and can be accessed either by personal subscription to a physical copy which is delivered to subscribers’ homes or through digital access through the Isolezwe website. The Isolezwe provides information locally in Durban and provides biased content targeted to one area of the country, not the country as a whole. This is an important source for viewing the different areas of South Africa and the cultures within.
“New” Media (Blogs, websites, etc.)
News24
News24 is a digital news source that provides breaking news on all things South Africa. News24 is comprised of digital articles and stories pertaining to sports, entertainment, politics, and culture in South Africa. News24 is owned by Media24, a large media company in South Africa, which is a part of Naspers, a large media and e-commerce conglomerate. News24 originates and reports on South Africa, and is published in English. News24 is great for South Africans to get breaking news as soon as it is reported, which is not as accessible through print news. However, with such rapid reporting, mistakes can be made and it is important to utilize multiple sources as news comes out.
I chose News24 as a source because it is one of the leading sources of news in South Africa and one could not get the full view of the information network in South Africa without News24 as a source.
South African Government
The South African government website is an essential information source as that is where consumers can find statements, press conference information, and much more. The website is published in English and is updated frequently as statements are made and news happens in the government. This is a strong source as it is straight from the government and provides valuable information about government and politics in the country.
The South African
https://www.thesouthafrican.com/
The South African is an online, contemporary news source reporting on breaking news in South Africa and the larger African continent. With 17.8 million page views per month, the South African is the third-largest online news publisher in South Africa. The website is updated daily as new articles are posted about daily happenings and the website is published primarily in English. The South African is independently owned by a private company and is funded through advertising revenue. It is an independent news source with no agenda in its reporting.
South Africa Blog
http://www.southafricablog.co.za/
The South Africa Blog is an online blog published to provide travel information to those traveling to and around South Africa. With tabs like attractions and restaurants, the website caters to provide reviews and recommendations for the best places to visit in South Africa. The blog is published in English and is updated periodically with new reviews and updates as needed. The blog is published by South Africans so it provides a local look at there best spots to visit, but may have a difficult time providing appropriate content for tourists.
Social Media
@/SuperSportTV on Twitter
SuperSportTV is one of the most followed accounts for South Africans, with over three million followers on Twitter as of March 8th, 2022. SuperSportTV also runs a website, but many access content through social media, namely Twitter. SuperSportTV is a large broadcast aggregate producing sporting content in Sub-Saharan Africa, applying to more than just South Africa. Content is posted in English and shares all things sports. This source is important for those interested in following sports and provides updates live as events happen. SuperSportTV can be accessed at https://supersport.com/ and @SuperSportTV on Twitter. I chose SuperSportTV because of the large following count they have amassed, showing the importance of this source for South Africans.
@/abdevilliers17 on Instagram
Abraham Benjamin de Villiers is a former South African cricket player and boasts one of the largest Instagram followings amount South Africans with 17.4 million followers. AB de Villiers is an important social media information source as he is representative of a popular South African and can provide insight into a South African lifestyle and what is happening in pop culture.
@/boity on Instagram
Boity Thulo is a South African public figure and entrepreneur with 5.5 million followers on Instagram. As one of the most followed South Africans, Boity’s social media profiles provide a unique form of information source into pop culture and current influences in South Africa.
Data Sources
South African Census
http://www.statssa.gov.za/?page_id=1417
The South African government provides important information about the country such as population, education, and crime. The information can be found on the South African government statistics website and is publicly accessible. The information is published in English and provides important data to those interested in learning more about South Africa, making it an important part of the information network in South Africa.
South African Data Portal
https://southafrica.opendataforafrica.org/
The African Development Bank sponsors this website in order to provide important information about the country such as age demographics, the labor force, and the HIV rate. The information can be found on the website and is publicly accessible, with much of the data being pulled from the government. The information is published in English and provides important data to those interested in learning more about South Africa, making it an important part of the information network in South Africa.
Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development
https://data.oecd.org/south-africa.htm
OECD is an international organization focused on creating better policies to address economic challenges, among other things. The OECD website provides a multitude of data surrounding the South African economy, such as crop production or renewable energy use. The information is published digitally in English and can be accessed publicly. The website provides unbiased information in the form of data.
Audio/Visual
Ukhozi FM
http://www.ukhozifm.co.za/sabc/home/ukhozifm
Ukhozi FM is one of the largest radio stations in South Africa with over 7 million listeners. Ukhozi FM broadcasts over the radio and their website in IsiZulu, a Zulu language that is one of South Africa’s official languages. Ukhozi FM covers all things news, current affairs, sports, weather and traffic, and talk shows. Ukhozi FM is broadcast from the Kwazulu Natal province of South Africa and aims to provide a sense of pride and culture for the young people of South Africa, despite broadcasting to all ages. This is a strong information source as it provides more insight into the culture of the country, particularly in the KZN region. However, this can limit information coming from different regions of the country. Overall, this is a great informal source of information as a part of an information network and this is why I chose to share this station.
Polity
Polity is one of the largest podcast stations in South Africa, posting daily podcast recordings in English over major issues in politics and the economy in South Africa. With podcast popularity on the rise around the world, many people are now turning to podcasts like Polity to get their daily news, which is exactly why Polity is an important part of the information network.
SABC1 – South African Broadcasting Corporation
https://www.sabc.co.za/sabc/
SABC is a large TV broadcasting conglomerate that hosts three large television stations – SABC1, SABC2, and SABC3. SABC1, the most popular station, is broadcasted in English and Nguni and broadcasted across the country. SABC1 provides a multitude of different shows and segments, with their most popular being comedy, drama, and talk shows.
SABC2 – South African Broadcasting Corporation
https://www.sabc.co.za/sabc/
SABC is a large TV broadcasting conglomerate that hosts three large television stations – SABC1, SABC2, and SABC3. SABC2 is broadcast in five different languages – English, Sepedi, Afrikaans, Venda, and Tsonga, and broadcasts a variety of shows with a heavy concentration of drama shows.