A political economy of sub-Saharan African language press: the case of Nigeria and South Africa

Abstract

This paper attempts a typology of the models of managing local language press in sub-Saharan Africa. Two models are identified: the mainstream and the subsidiary. In the mainstream model are local language newspapers that exist as sole or main products of a media organisation. The subsidiary model consists of local language newspapers that exist as subsidiary products of a foreign (but dominant) language media organisation. The two models are essentially differentiated based on two major factors: Focus/Attention/Priority and Resources (Sharing) – Men, Materials, Machine and Marketing. Using critical political economy as a theoretical framework, the paper draws examples from local language press establishments in Africa to discuss this model. Irrespective of the model of management adopted, the survival of local language newspapers in sub-Saharan Africa remains precarious. Even though the general situation with local language press in sub-Saharan Africa is not exciting, there are however some success stories that can be situated within either of the two management models.