South Africa
 |
Population: | 49,052,489 |
| Capital: |
Pretoria (executive capital), Cape Town (legislative capital), Bloemfontein (judicial capital) |
|
| Language: | 11 official languages including English, Afrikaans, Sesotho, Setswana, Xhosa and Zulu | |
| Literacy Rate: | 86.4% | |
| GDP/PP: | $10,000 | |
| Joined Commonwealth: |
11 December 1931 (One of the original Dominions at the time of the Statute of Westminster 1931. Left on 31 May 1961, rejoined on 1 June 1994) |
Media
South Africa is the continent's major media player, and its many broadcasters and publications reflect the diversity of the population.
Established state-run and commercial TV networks broadcast nationally, and hundreds of thousands of viewers subscribe to satellite and cable pay-TV services.
Deregulation in 1996 led to a proliferation of radio stations. Listeners in Johannesburg alone can choose from among some 40 radio services, from the national broadcasts of the state-owned South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) to community stations targeting local neighbourhoods or ethnic groups. SABC is far more independent now than during the apartheid era.
The constitution provides for freedom of the press, and this is generally respected. Laws, regulation and political control of media content are considered to be moderate and there is little evidence of repressive measures against journalists.
The newspaper industry is diverse and vibrant with myriad newspapers and magazines publishing reports and comment, when appropriate they are frequently critical of the government.
Newspapers
The Star - Johannesburg-based daily, city's oldest newspaper
The Sowetan - Johannesburg-based tabloid
Daily Sun - mass-circulation tabloid
Beeld - largest Afrikaans daily
Mail & Guardian - weekly, operates Mail & Guardian online
Business Day - daily
Financial Mail - business weekly
Sunday Times/The Times - South Africa's oldest Sunday newspaper; publishes subscription-only daily
Television
SABC - state broadcaster, operates three national TV networks, two pay-TV channels
e.tv - free-to-air commercial network
M-Net - pay-TV, pan-African audience
Radio
SABC - state broadcaster with 20 regional and national services in 11 languages, including: national English-language network SAfm; contemporary music station 5 FM; national Afrikaans station Radio Sonder Grense; national Zulu station Ukhozi FM; Sesotho station Lesedi FM
Channel Africa - SABC's external radio service, targeted at the African continent
YFM - popular Johannesburg commercial R&B, soul and hip-hop station
702 Talk Radio - Johannesburg commercial news and talk station
News agency
South African Press Association (SAPA)
