Radios play a very important role in South Africa. Around fifty percent of people listen to the radio regularly, whereas only twenty percent of people read the newspaper regularly. Why is this? South Africa has a very high illiteracy rate. Listening to the radio allows people to learn about the news and what is going on without having to read about it. South Africans also use the radio because it is very cheap to purchase one, it is extremely portable, and you do not require electricity to use one. Unlike in America, may homes in South Africa do not have electricity. The radio id a form of oral expression.
There are three kinds of radio: commercial, public, and community. Commercial radio is where we listen to ads that companies create. Public radio is broadcasted by Non-Profit organizations. Community radio is non-profit, but it is broadcasted by people who are aiming towards certain groups in the area. They may direct their broadcasts towards certain ethnic groups, different language groups, or immigrants. This form of radio is a form of public journalism which promotes a local identity for the listeners. Out of the 191 total radio stations in South Africa, 152 of them are community radio stations. Before the Apartheid, pirate radio (which was not authorized by the government) was very popular. Many of these stations are not community radio stations.
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