ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the extent to which South African talk radio stations fulfil their normative role of ensuring that disparate groups participate in shaping narratives around the structure and direction of the country's economy. This analysis is conducted on the content that these stations broadcast and the underlying production practices. The chapter employs social responsibility theory. It is particularly interested in understanding the language used in on-air conversations, the subject matter dealt with in these conversations, and the production practices that undergird it. The focus on economic matters in this chapter stems from the fact that, in the post-apartheid era, the conversation on citizen participation in the shaping of national priorities is slowly shifting from political issues to economic matters. Because South Africa remains one of the most unequal countries globally, there is a need to understand how economic discourse is mediated in this context.
