The year 2026 will mark 50 years since television was first introduced in South Africa, a milestone that comes after a uniquely complex and delayed journey for this influential medium. On January 5, 1976, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) was finally allowed to launch a television service after years of concerns by the apartheid regime about the potential impact of television. The then government’s concerns were allayed by the Meyer Commission which was appointed to investigate the feasibility of a television in the country. Thus, when television was finally introduced, it was a major event for South Africans. Now, half a century later, it is necessary to reflect on how the medium has developed and shaped society in this context.
Thus, this edited volume, 50 Years of Television in South Africa, seeks to explore the evolution, impact, and future of television in South Africa.
Scholars, media practitioners, and researchers are invited to contribute chapters that deliberate on the multifaceted story of South African television.