Violence on television: the South African approach

Abstract

South African political violence over the last four decades has always been linked, in one way or another, to the struggle to get rid of apartheid. Since 1960, when the ANC and other opposition parties were banned, the media have gradually become more intertwined with efforts to change the country. In the 1980s the media became the target of the minority government when severe restrictions were put on their functioning in riot-torn areas. The first real test for media freedom for the new South African government came in August 1994 when a fictional depiction of violence in South Africa was banned on national television after only one episode. Apart from the issue of media restrictions and censorship enforced by the previous government, it is argued that the media have also played a vital role in censorship of political news. The role of the SABC in addressing violent television content, is also discussed.