SOAS Research Online

Abstract

Despite a sizable amount of research on Zimbabwean media, there is significantly little known about the internal production practices within radio stations in Zimbabwe. My original contribution to the analysis of Zimbabwean media is in moving away from the broad analyses of Zimbabwean media that primarily focuses on the actions of the government. Instead, by using this case study, I advance the field of study by showing the complex power dynamics at play during the media production process. The thesis offers a unique insight into how young Zimbabweans negotiate their identities and sense of belonging through private radio broadcasting. In gaining entry into a Zimbabwean radio station, one of the most protected areas of Zimbabwean media production, I argue that while Zimbabwean broadcast practices still work to shape a world that benefits an elite minority, that power dynamic is being questioned regularly by ordinary Zimbabweans. My conclusion is that this private station has created a space of resistance for those who live on the periphery of power to articulate their perspectives. Through this study I advocate for the research approach of a case study as a means to understand how each individual in a given media organisation influences the final media product. This thesis advances the literature on the strategies Zimbabweans are employing to challenge norms.