Reporting the Region: Southern Africa and news media Findings from Afrobarometer Round 5/6 Surveys in Southern Africa 19 th Highway Africa Conference #HA2015 30 August 2015 Sibusiso Nkomo
At a glance News provision in Southern Africa: News is still dominated by legacy media such as television, radio and newspapers but social media is on the rise. Dominance of satellite services and other media: South Africa s DStv dominates the region and brings most international news via television to households. South Africa has the largest media community in the region. Future of news is mobile: A quarter (25%) of the region has two cellphones in each household
What is Afrobarometer? An African-led, non-partisan survey research project that measures citizen attitudes on democracy and governance, the economy, civil society, and other topics. Started in 12 countries in 1999, expanded to 35 African countries in Round 5 (2011-2013). Goal: To give the public a voice in policymaking by providing high-quality public opinion data to policymakers, policy advocates, civil society organizations, academics, news media, donors and investors, and ordinary Africans. National Partners in each country conduct the survey. Round 6 fieldwork began in March 2014 and is scheduled for completion later this year.
Where Afrobarometer works
How media is accessed 2011-2013 2014-2015 News providers in the region
Key findings Seven in 10 (73%) of people in Southern Africa do not access news via the internet Radio dominates news (47%), followed by television (31%)and then newspapers (12%) There are more newspapers (on average, 11 per country) than television/satellite services, radio stations in the region
Provision of news per country Southern Africa 2013 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Newspapers Radio stations Television stations/satellite service Internet 11 9 5 60% 50% 40% 10% 0% Sources: Media Institute of Southern Africa, BBC, World Bank (2013)
People who do not access news on the Internet Southern Africa 2011-2015 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 75% 72% 89% 80% 85% 92% 83% 89% 63% 82% 77% 79% 56% 75% 61% 85% 80% 77% 79% 75% 73% 40% 37% 10% 0% 2011-2013 2014-2015
News from newspapers everyday Southern Africa 2011-2015 40% 35% 38% 35% 25% 15% 10% 5% 0% 17% 21% 2% 1% 4% 4% 3% 1% 4% 16% 23% 23% 19% 16% 8% 9% 9% 7% 12% 12% 2011-2013 2014-2015
News from radio everyday Southern Africa 2011-2015 100% 90% 80% 70% 87% 83% 68% 60% 50% 40% 46% 42% 42% 38% 35% 33% 43% 40% 37% 54% 53% 52% 50% 46% 41% 32% 33% 45% 47% 10% 0% 2011-2013 2014-2015
News from television everyday Southern Africa 2011-2015 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 88% 83% 68% 50% 40% 10% 42% 31% 18% 19% 17% 14% 7% 7% 29% 32% 42% 36% 45% 33% 34% 24% 34% 31% 0% 2011-2013 2014-2015
News from social media Facebook/Twitter everyday Southern Africa 2014-2015 35% 32% 29% 25% 25% 18% 15% 13% 10% 7% 7% 8% 7% 5% 0% 1%
Ownership of technology to access news 2011-2015 Cellphones rule access to media
Key findings Nine in 10 (93%) of Mauritians have a television versus four in 10 (42%) in the whole region Seven in 10 (70%) of people in Southern Africa have a radio in their household. Nine in 10 (92%) of people in Southern Africa have cellphone coverage
Ownership of TVs Southern Africa 2011-2015 100% 95% 99% 90% 80% 70% 73% 60% 50% 40% 10% 53% 48% 32% 27% 29% 18% 13% 14% 39% 32% 41% 49% 51% 46% 42% 45% 42% 44% 42% 0% 2011-2013 2014-2015
Ownership of radios Southern Africa 2011-2015 100% 90% 95% 98% 80% 70% 60% 50% 68% 66% 75% 66% 60% 60% 60% 60% 75% 74% 69% 68% 66% 73% 73% 65% 72% 66% 70% 70% 40% 10% 0% 2011-2013 2014-2015
Number of cellphones in a household Southern Africa 2011-2013 Southern Africa 18% 25% 15% Zimbabwe 12% 23% 16% Zambia 17% 24% 13% Swaziland 3% 14% 24% South Africa 4% 19% 31% 19% Namibia 7% 15% 27% 19% Mozambique 21% 13% Mauritius 3% 15% 35% 24% Malawi 41% 29% 18% 8% Madagascar 59% 21% 13% 4% Lesotho 14% 25% 25% 19% Botswana 3% 16% 21% 0% 10% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% None 1 2 3
Usage of cellphones and availability of service Southern Africa 2011-2013 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 10% 0% 85% 100% 71% 93% 32% 71% 43% 96% 98% 84% 64% 89% 84% 94% 99% 87% 88% 86% 69% 90% 76% 93% 92% 70% Use cellphone that I own (2011-2013) Cellphone service
Thank you