‘A Strange World of Fantasy’: The Radio Propaganda of the Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation, 1964–1970. 1

Abstract

This article uses transcripts of Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation radio programmes to investigate the development of political attitudes in Rhodesia during the UDI era. In order to do this it engages with a number of key themes relating to both the international position of the rebel colony and the domestic situation. It argues that Rhodesian radio played an important role in developing the key myths of the UDI era, providing (white) listeners with comforting narratives which downplayed the crisis in which they found themselves. It shows that there were several central tenets to this. The first argument was that key Western powers, namely Britain and the USA were led by naive fools who, unlike the Rhodesians, had little understanding of Africa, and lacked the conviction to challenge communism. The second was that, as part of this, Rhodesia was being victimised. This led onto the third key theme: That the Rhodesians, supported by the public in Britain and America, were taking up the mantle that Western politicians had discarded. By reconstructing these ideas this article is able to show the diet of political thought that white Rhodesians were imbibing during this period, a process which enhanced their motivation and sense of identity.