The western press as an instrument for the furtherance of corporate capitalist interests: the case of economic sanctions against South Africa

The main focus of the dissertation is on the role of the western press in the promotion of transnational corporate interests (ideological, political and economic). The major hypothesis of the study is that under monopoly capitalism the press in the developed capitalist countries is an important instrument in the hands of transnational corporations which use it to further their global interests. To demonstrate this, the study examines the way the western press reports on the issue of economic sanctions against South Africa. Chapter one is the introductory part of study which focuses on the background of the study, objectives and significance of the study. Chapter two deals with literature review and the theoretical framework of the study which is based on the political economy approach. Consequently, the press is seen as part of the superstructure in a given social formation articulating an defending the overall interests of those controlling it. This is particularly so under monopoly capitalism where the process of concentration and decentralisation of capital has placed the press in the hands of fewer giant transnational corporations which use it to promote corporate interests both at home and abroad. The process of media concentration in the imperialist countries which is a relatively new feature of monopoly capitalism is also examined in this chapter. This is done from a historical perspective by tracing the emergence of media monopolies in the general process of concentration and centralization of capital and production under monopoly capitalism. The connection between certain western newspapers and multinationals with investments in South Africa is also explored. The methodology of the study constitutes chapter three under which data collection procedures, data analysis and limitation of the study are outlined. In chapter four an attempt is made to show how the western press coverage of the sanctions issue against racist South Africa promotes corporate interests in South Africa. Various newspapers in the west are examined to show that much of the western press coverage of the issue is intended to influence readers’ perceptions in a way that does not jeopardise the political and economic interests of transnational corporations operating in South Africa. Chapter five contains the conclusion and suggestions on what can be done, both in the short and long term, to counter this perverted western press reporting on sanctions against South Africa.