More media for Southern Africa? The place of politics, economics and convergence in developing media density

Abstract

In line with global trends, media in Southern Africa in the past decade has been moving slowly towards mergers, partnerships and multi-platform publishing. Driven by politics and facilitated by technology, the process has had to confront the difficulty of establishing viable economic models, the lack of regional integration within Southern African countries, and what is sometimes a difficult political environment. Markets remain largely national or local and economically weak. Print media faces huge hurdles. Broadcast media density is improving, partly through noncommercial mechanisms. News websites are understaffed, lacking in viable survival strategies and skills, and are incompletely integrated with parent media platforms. Economic pressures, however, are likely to force Southern African media operations into greater synergies in search of survival. The various convergences entailed may increase media density.