Podcasts as Alternative media in South Africa: The Case of Podcast and Chill with Mac

Abstract

The digital era has fostered the emergence of podcasts, and these platforms have grown in popularity as spaces that operate outside mainstream media frameworks and structures. Mainstream media has been perceived as highly institutionalised, centralised and commercialised, which limits its ability to fully play its role in society and affects the content it disseminates. The shortcomings of mainstream Media have led to the emergence of alternative media spaces, such as podcasts, that fill the gap left by mainstream media. However, there is a scarcity of scholarly work on how such alternative media, specifically podcasts, function as authentic and critical spaces that address the shortcomings of mainstream media in the global South, particularly in South Africa. Grounded in Alternative Media Theory, this study explored the potential of podcasts as alternative media within the South African media landscape, using the popular South African podcast, “Podcast and Chill with MacG”, as a case study. This study employed a qualitative method design using semi-structured interviews and netnography to gain insights into the podcast’s structure, formation, and audience's perception of it as an alternative media. To explore the podcast’s content and to gain an in-depth understanding of the potential of Podcasts and Chill with MacG as an alternative media, 6 episodes of the podcast were purposively selected. To gain an indepth understanding of audiences’ perceptions of the podcast's potential as an alternative media and their interactions with it, 10 viewers of the podcast aged 18 to 30 who regularly watch the podcast were purposively selected. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data derived from interviews, and content analysis was used to analyse data derived from netnography. The study revealed that Podcast and Chill with MacG exhibits various attributes that position it as a significant alternative media, representing marginalised groups, centred on participatory culture, perceived as an independent and counter-hegemonic space, and a platform that informs, educates, and raises awareness of social issues. The podcast thus acts as a disruptive medium that challenges mainstream media because of its asynchronous element, uncensored and unregulated content, its unique structure and format, and its effect on mainstream media viewership. Furthermore, the study reveals that funding constraints, credibility issues, and profane language limited the podcast's ability to fully play its role as an alternative medium. The study contributes to the literature on how podcasts play the role and limits of podcasts of alternative media in the global South context, particularly in Africa where some societies and some segments of society are underserved by the mainstream media.