UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA (UNISA)
College of Human Sciences — Department of Communication Science
⋄
An Analysis of Audience Engagement by
Radio 2000 on Facebook
Assignment 01 — Semester 2, 2026
⋄
Module Code: COM3706
Module Name: Social Media and Society
Assignment No.: Assignment 01
Commissioning Client: Karibu Media Strategies, Tanzania
Semester: Semester 2, 2026
Platform Analysed: Facebook
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for Social Media and Society (COM3706)
at the University of South Africa.
,UNISA | COM3706 Radio Station Social Media Audience Engagement
1. Introduction
The relationship between radio broadcasters and their audiences has changed fundamentally
with the rise of social media. Traditional radio operated on a one-to-many model: profession-
als produced content and audiences consumed it with little means of talking back. Social
networking sites have unsettled that model by giving audiences the means to comment, react,
share, question and contribute to media content in view of other audience members (Chuma,
2014). Radio is therefore no longer confined to the transmission of sound over terrestrial
frequencies; it now exists within a converged digital environment of websites, mobile applica-
tions, livestreaming and social networking platforms.
Acting on a brief from Karibu Media Strategies, an international communication consultancy
based in Tanzania, this report investigates how Radio 2000, a South African public broad-
casting station operated by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), engages
its audiences through its official Facebook page. Radio 2000 is a national English-language
adult contemporary station headquartered at the SABC’s Auckland Park campus in Johan-
nesburg. It describes itself as the only facility service radio station in the country, positioned
to strengthen democracy and nation-building through sport, music, events of national impor-
tance and lifestyle programming (Radio 2000, 2026a).
Radio 2000 was selected because its institutional mission extends beyond entertainment.
The station states that it aims to provide credible, informative and entertaining content and
to engage audiences in healthy discussions and debates on a wide range of subjects (Radio
2000, 2026a). This stated commitment to dialogue makes the station’s Facebook page a
useful site for testing whether a public broadcaster uses social media chiefly to distribute
content, or also to enable genuine audience participation, in line with what Chuma (2014)
found when examining how a comparable South African commercial station, Jacaranda FM,
used Facebook comments to build public engagement around its breakfast show.
Facebook was chosen as the platform of analysis because it exposes three observable and
comparable indicators of engagement, namely reactions, comments and shares, which sup-
port both a quantitative count of themes and a qualitative reading of audience voice. At the
time of writing, the Radio 2000 Facebook page had accumulated approximately 689,000 page
likes (Facebook, 2026), giving the page a substantial base from which to draw a meaningful
sample of posts. The analysis is based on the 50 most recent posts accessible on the page
during the period of data collection, and it examines their themes, communication style, the
Page 1 of 33
,UNISA | COM3706 Radio Station Social Media Audience Engagement
audience responses they generated, and the degree to which the page reflects the principles
of participatory public broadcasting.
Page 2 of 33
, UNISA | COM3706 Radio Station Social Media Audience Engagement
2. Background to Radio 2000
Radio 2000 forms part of the SABC’s Public Broadcasting Services portfolio. The SABC op-
erates the largest radio network in South Africa and has stated that its radio services are
increasingly integrating digital and social media platforms as part of its broader public man-
date (SABC, 2024). Radio 2000 broadcasts nationally on FM frequencies between 97.2 and
100 MHz and follows an adult contemporary format aimed at Living Standards Measure
(LSM) groups 7 to 10 (Radio 2000, 2026a).
The station’s public broadcasting status matters for this analysis because the SABC carries a
statutory obligation to inform, educate and entertain while remaining responsive to audience
needs (SABC, 2026a). Its Facebook communication should therefore be judged by more than
popularity; public value, cultural representation and opportunities for participation are equally
relevant standards. The SABC’s most recent annual report recorded an average weekly audi-
ence of approximately 2.087 million adults aged 15 and above for Radio 2000, alongside a
programming mix of adult crossover music, magazine content, live sport commentary and
talk programming (SABC, 2024). The station has also continued to expand its digital footprint:
its mobile application, updated in 2026, allows listeners to stream live radio and access pod-
casts, illustrating the ongoing convergence of broadcast and digital media (SABC, 2026b).
Page 3 of 33
College of Human Sciences — Department of Communication Science
⋄
An Analysis of Audience Engagement by
Radio 2000 on Facebook
Assignment 01 — Semester 2, 2026
⋄
Module Code: COM3706
Module Name: Social Media and Society
Assignment No.: Assignment 01
Commissioning Client: Karibu Media Strategies, Tanzania
Semester: Semester 2, 2026
Platform Analysed: Facebook
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for Social Media and Society (COM3706)
at the University of South Africa.
,UNISA | COM3706 Radio Station Social Media Audience Engagement
1. Introduction
The relationship between radio broadcasters and their audiences has changed fundamentally
with the rise of social media. Traditional radio operated on a one-to-many model: profession-
als produced content and audiences consumed it with little means of talking back. Social
networking sites have unsettled that model by giving audiences the means to comment, react,
share, question and contribute to media content in view of other audience members (Chuma,
2014). Radio is therefore no longer confined to the transmission of sound over terrestrial
frequencies; it now exists within a converged digital environment of websites, mobile applica-
tions, livestreaming and social networking platforms.
Acting on a brief from Karibu Media Strategies, an international communication consultancy
based in Tanzania, this report investigates how Radio 2000, a South African public broad-
casting station operated by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), engages
its audiences through its official Facebook page. Radio 2000 is a national English-language
adult contemporary station headquartered at the SABC’s Auckland Park campus in Johan-
nesburg. It describes itself as the only facility service radio station in the country, positioned
to strengthen democracy and nation-building through sport, music, events of national impor-
tance and lifestyle programming (Radio 2000, 2026a).
Radio 2000 was selected because its institutional mission extends beyond entertainment.
The station states that it aims to provide credible, informative and entertaining content and
to engage audiences in healthy discussions and debates on a wide range of subjects (Radio
2000, 2026a). This stated commitment to dialogue makes the station’s Facebook page a
useful site for testing whether a public broadcaster uses social media chiefly to distribute
content, or also to enable genuine audience participation, in line with what Chuma (2014)
found when examining how a comparable South African commercial station, Jacaranda FM,
used Facebook comments to build public engagement around its breakfast show.
Facebook was chosen as the platform of analysis because it exposes three observable and
comparable indicators of engagement, namely reactions, comments and shares, which sup-
port both a quantitative count of themes and a qualitative reading of audience voice. At the
time of writing, the Radio 2000 Facebook page had accumulated approximately 689,000 page
likes (Facebook, 2026), giving the page a substantial base from which to draw a meaningful
sample of posts. The analysis is based on the 50 most recent posts accessible on the page
during the period of data collection, and it examines their themes, communication style, the
Page 1 of 33
,UNISA | COM3706 Radio Station Social Media Audience Engagement
audience responses they generated, and the degree to which the page reflects the principles
of participatory public broadcasting.
Page 2 of 33
, UNISA | COM3706 Radio Station Social Media Audience Engagement
2. Background to Radio 2000
Radio 2000 forms part of the SABC’s Public Broadcasting Services portfolio. The SABC op-
erates the largest radio network in South Africa and has stated that its radio services are
increasingly integrating digital and social media platforms as part of its broader public man-
date (SABC, 2024). Radio 2000 broadcasts nationally on FM frequencies between 97.2 and
100 MHz and follows an adult contemporary format aimed at Living Standards Measure
(LSM) groups 7 to 10 (Radio 2000, 2026a).
The station’s public broadcasting status matters for this analysis because the SABC carries a
statutory obligation to inform, educate and entertain while remaining responsive to audience
needs (SABC, 2026a). Its Facebook communication should therefore be judged by more than
popularity; public value, cultural representation and opportunities for participation are equally
relevant standards. The SABC’s most recent annual report recorded an average weekly audi-
ence of approximately 2.087 million adults aged 15 and above for Radio 2000, alongside a
programming mix of adult crossover music, magazine content, live sport commentary and
talk programming (SABC, 2024). The station has also continued to expand its digital footprint:
its mobile application, updated in 2026, allows listeners to stream live radio and access pod-
casts, illustrating the ongoing convergence of broadcast and digital media (SABC, 2026b).
Page 3 of 33
