Cimatographs, Crystal Valves and American Cultural Imperialism : the Role played by IW Schlesinger's Media Organisation at the Genesis of the South Africa's film and Radio Industries 1913-1937

Abstract

The purpose of this dissertation is to construct a corporate biography of Schlesinger with a view to establishing the extent to which he and his media empire gave effect to American cultural imperialism. In particular, the study will assess the extent to which this statement is true of his activities in the film and radio industries. American cultural imperialism had many proponents and unique forms around the world. This study is premised on the argument that Schlesinger may have been situated at the nexus of American cultural imperialism, mass media and South Africa. Enough is known about the man to begin assessing how and to what degree factors such as his citizenship, his continuous travels between South African and America or his reportedly Americanised values and personality may have manifested in either the business models of his media enterprises or in the content they produced.