Regional identity and the politics of belonging in the consumption of Zimbabwe's vernacular tabloid newspaper, uMthunywa in Bulawayo

Mabweazara, Hayes Mawindi

Abstract

This paper is a qualitative study of the consumption of uMthunywa, a Zimbabwean state-controlled tabloid newspaper. It focuses on its Bulawayo readers who constitute the bulk of the paper’s readership and particularly explores the meanings and relevance of its content to their everyday lives. The study establishes that the paper constitutes a forceful alternative mediated sphere that cements a regional identity and accommodates feelings of belonging among a readership that feels disenfranchised and neglected by the ‘power bloc’. The newspaper has (re)kindled a relationship with readers through its use of the vernacular language, isiNdebele and the coverage of community issues that resonate with the readers’ everyday lives.

Citation

Mabweazara, H. M. (2009). Regional identity and the politics of belonging in the consumption of Zimbabwe's vernacular tabloid newspaper, uMthunywa in Bulawayo. Journal of African Media Studies, 1(3), 449-467. https://doi.org/10.1386/jams.1.3.449/1

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Dec 1, 2009
• Deposit Date: Jan 13, 2010
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 2, 2010
• Print ISSN: 2040-199X
• Electronic ISSN: 1751-7974
• Publisher: Intellect
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 1
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 449-467
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1386/jams.1.3.449/1
• Keywords: Regional identity; ethnic belonging; tabloid journalism; Bulawayo; isiNdebele
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/id/eprint/3595
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1386/jams.1.3.449/1