Appreciating Indigenous African Language Media’ Practices and Processes: A Transdisciplinary Approach

Abstract

Despite the growing amount of research into indigenous language media, many studies are still grounded in normative theories that look at African language media through a historical and normative lens. By gravitating towards a critical theory tradition that foregrounds critical political economy and cultural studies approach, the papers in this book make theoretical, methodical and empirical contributions about indigenous African language media are affected by structural factors of politics, technology, culture and economy and how they are creatively produced and appropriated by their audiences across African cultures and contexts. Thus, this chapter is a summary that explores topics on indigenous African language media about media representations, media texts and contents, practice-based activities, audience reception and participation, television, popular culture and cinema, peace and conflict resolution, health and environmental crisis communication, citizen journalism, ethnic and identity formation, beat analysis and investigative journalism, and corporate communication.