Welcome to ILMA

The entity Indigenous Language Media in Africa (ILMA) is a research niche area of the North-West University, South Africa. It focuses on issues of African languages in the media, the contrast between public and private financing of the media, the media and identity, the media and politics, the internet, media and democracy, media and development as well as African traditional communication/media systems and their applications.

About ILMA (Indigenous Language Media in Africa)

The entity Indigenous Language Media in Africa is a research niche area of the North-West University, South Africa. It focuses on issues of African languages in the media, the contrast between public and private financing of the media, the media and identity, the media and politics, the internet, media and democracy, media and development as well as African traditional communication/media systems and their applications.

The goal of the research entity is to research the indigenous language media and the traditional communication systems in Africa in terms of their nature, content, styles, organisational management as well as their applications for democracy, development and corporate communication.

The specific research objectives of the entity are:

• To research the nature and content of African language print, broadcast and digital media as well as the practice of African language journalism.
• To research the nature and practice of corporate and marketing communication as well as development communication, including democracy, in African languages.
• To research the nature of African indigenous communication systems and study their application for human and social development.
• To research the political economy and management of African language media; and study their nature as alternative media.