Silences and the mediation of identities in South African radio talk shows

The profile of radio talk shows seems to be rising in recent times. In both research and industry spaces radio talk shows continue to hold a lot of attraction, making discourses about them not just prevalent but almost pervasive in a way. This article seeks to identify silences in radio talk shows as well as understand the role of silences in the setting up of these shows. Using two radio talk shows in contemporary South Africa as an entry point, it seeks to bring to the fore how such silences may impact on the identities of participants and perhaps by extension the culture of the larger society. The article concludes that silences are critical communicative practices that are just as significant as the verbalized utterances we encounter in the performance of self-identity which characterize the transmission of radio talk shows. In doing this, the article will contribute to the understanding of the radio talk show space as one of immense possibilities as a participatory interactive cultural performance genre while pointing at the different shades of meaning that may emerge through non-verbal communication embedded in talk itself.