This study is an initial attempt to analyze the media debate about the intention to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced last October 2016 by the South African government.

The purpose is to examine media arguments raised and possible bias on three South African major news sites. Articles selected are analyzed through a web content analysis that allows to understand how the debate about the government’s intention was presented, examining the issue of unconstitutionality and the question of human rights emerged. In order to verify possible media bias, instead, several previous studies on the matter were considered, with particular attention to the one of Eberl, Boomgaarden and Wagner, used to apply a systematic analytical approach. Theories on media accountability and media ethics in South Africa constitute the theoretical framework of the research. The study is conducted by following an extensive review of secondary sources and a typical descriptive case study approach. What the Thesis means to show is that, in most cases, South African web sites have presented and discussed the government’s intention with a negative tone demonstrating media bias especially in the tonality used, often against, more or less openly, the country’s withdrawal.