Stunted growth: an exploration into the failures of African-language newspapers, Imvo Zabantsundu in focus

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Periodical article

Title:	Stunted growth: an exploration into the failures of African-language newspapers, Imvo Zabantsundu in focus
Author:	Salawu, Abiodun
Year:	2013
Periodical:	Ecquid Novi: African Journalism Studies (ISSN 0256-0054)
Volume:	34
Issue:	2
Pages:	73-92
Language:	English
Geographic term:	South Africa
Subjects:	newspapers indigenous languages Xhosa language Zulu language Sotho language
Abstract:	Publishing newspapers in African languages has largely been a precarious business, as many disappear no sooner than they appear on the newsstands. Several factors may be responsible for this short life-span, including apathy towards indigenous languages in Africa, which results in low patronage in terms of copy sales and advertisement placement. Yet, a number of local language newspapers actually endured, only to finally disappear after a long time. A good example was Imvo Zabantsundu, a Xhosa-language newspaper that existed in South Africa, although with some interruption, between 1884 and 1997. This research examines the problems of managing local language publications, with a particular focus on Imvo. It also examines the success stories of the isiZulu newspaper, Isolezwe; the isiZulu, isiXhosa and Sesotho editions of Bona magazine; as well as the Alaroye titles in Yorubaland, Nigeria. Bibliogr., ref., sum. [Journal abstract]