News “media capture”, relations of patronage and clientelist practices in sub-Saharan Africa: an interpretive qualitative analysis

Mabweazara, H. M. , Muneri, C. T. and Ndlovu, F. (2020) News “media capture”, relations of patronage and clientelist practices in sub-Saharan Africa: an interpretive qualitative analysis. Journalism Studies, 21(15), pp. 2154-2175. (doi: 10.1080/1461670X.2020.1816489)

Abstract

This essay is an interpretive qualitative analysis of secondary data that explores and/or highlights the intricacies of “media capture”, relations of patronage and clientelist media practices in sub-Saharan Africa. It adopts an exploratory approach that delineates the contours and patterns of debates around these intricately connected phenomena by identifying salient examples in the region, and their implications to the role of the media in struggles for democratisation. Our analysis points to a typology of interconnected driving forces of media capture which coalesce around legal and administrative regulation; financial and economic enticements, and lastly, the dynamics of media ownership. These driving forces collectively broaden our understanding of the social practice as well as the role of the media in processes of democratisation in sub-Saharan Africa. The study further establishes that while there are marked differences and nuances which have significant implications on the operations of the news media in the region, there are several shared professional practices, values, and attitudes, that are qualitatively generalisable across sub-Saharan Africa.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Mabweazara, Dr Hayes
• Authors: Mabweazara, H. M., Muneri, C. T., and Ndlovu, F.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Sociology Anthropology and Applied Social Sciences
• Journal Name: Journalism Studies
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• ISSN: 1461-670X
• ISSN (Online): 1469-9699
• Published Online: 20 September 2020
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group
• First Published: First published in Journalism Studies 21(15):2154-2175
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher