Violence, Xenophobia and the Media: A Review of the South African Media's Coverage of Xenophobia and the Xenophobic Violence Prior to and Including the Events of 2008

Abstract

The purpose of this review is to assess academic research on the manner in which the media in South Africa portrayed the events leading up to, and including, those of May and June 2008. The review found that whilst the evidence is convincing that the print media have been xenophobic during this period, this does not necessarily imply that the print media was complicit in the xenophobic events of 2008. Further evidence-based research is needed on how the print media influences attitudes and perceptions in South Africa. Such research should scrutinize news media production and the context within which this occurs in order to provide a more informed view as to why the print media have been xenophobic for more than a decade.