Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Internet has become such an integral part of computer users' daily existence that it seems as if it has always been there. The Internet with its unique borders - or lack of borders - places an enormous burden on geographically based legal systems. Regulation, that has specifically been designed for the Internet, is a necessity because virtually every aspect of the law is challenged by the Internet and that many legal frameworks are inadequate to deal with the Internet. The other aspect which complicates the Internet even more, is that there is no specific organisation, business or government to whom the Internet belongs. Individuals and organisations have rights to the web pages that they own on the Internet, but there is no ownership of the Internet in its entirety. The development of the Internet in South Africa took place during a difficult time in the country's history. The apartheid era initially limited the growth of the Internet. Much of the existing legislation in South Africa has been partially adapted to accommodate the Internet, but the government could not envisage what the actual impact of the Internet would be and consequently they reacted when it came to the regulation of the Internet. In 2002 the Electronic Communication and Transaction Act 25 of2002 came into operation. In fact, the physical component of the Internet has already been regulated to a degree by the pure coincidence as a result of its physical presence. This is because the backbone of the Internet had not originally been created by the Internet, but by the telephone. There are a number of legislative Internet-organisations that are, among others, responsible for the technical standards of the Internet, dispute resolutions and in general what is important for the Internet community. Various international conventions regulate specific aspects of the Internet such as copyright, intellectual property rights, domain names, trademarks and cyber crime. The international conventions and agreements are an important step in the direction of standardised regulation. However, the lack of borders creates problems surrounding jurisdiction of the cyber space. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Internet het al so deel van rekenaargebruikers se alledaagse bestaan geword dat dit soms wil voorkom asof dit maar nog altyd daar was. Die Internet met sy unieke grense - of sy gebrek aan grense - plaas 'n groot las op geografies gebaseerde regstelsels. Regulering wat spesifiek vir die Internet ontwerp is, is 'n noodsaaklikheid, aangesien byna elke aspek van die reg deur die Internet uitgedaag word en baie regsraamwerke onvoldoende is om die Internet te hanteer. Wat die regulering van die Internet verder kompliseer, is dat daar nie een spesifieke organisasie, onderneming of regering is aan wie die Internet behoort nie. Individue en organisasies het regte tot die webwerwe wat hulle op die Internet besit, maar daar is nie eienaarskap van die Internet in sy geheel nie. Die ontwikkeling van die Internet in Suid-Afirka het tydens 'n moeilike tydperk in die Suid- Afrikaanse geskiedenis plaasgevind. Die apartheidsera het die aanvanklike ontwikkeling en groei van die Internet in Suid-Afrika beperk. Verskeie bestaande Suid-Afrikaanse wetgewing is deels aangepas om die Internet te akkommodeer, maar die regering het nooit besef wat die werklike impak van die Internet sou wees nie en het gevolglik re-aktief te werk gegaan wanneer dit by die regulering van die Internet gekom het. In 2002 het Suid-Afrika se Elektroniese Kommunikasie en Transaksies Wet 25 van 2002 in werking getree. Die regulering van die fisieke komponente van die Internet is tot 'n mate as gevolg van sy fisieke teenwoordigheid deur blote toeval, gereguleer. Dit is omdat die ruggraat van die Internet nie oorspronklik vir die Internet geskep is nie, maar vir die telefoon. Daar bestaan verskeie wetgewende Internet-organisasies wat onder meer verantwoordelik is vir die tegniese standaarde van die Internet, dispuutresolusie en wat oor die algemeen aan die belange van die Internet-gemeenskap wil voldoen. Verskeie internasionale konvensies reguleer spesifieke aspekte van die Internet soos kopiereg, intellektuele eiendomsreg, domeinname en handelsmerke en kubermisdaad. Die internasionale konvensies en verdrae is 'n belangrike stap in die rigting van gestandaardiseerde regulering. Tog skep die grenslose omstandighede van die Internet probleme rondom jurisdiksie in die kuberruim.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Financial reporting is one of the most vulnerable sectors of journalism for the occurrence of possible unethical conduct. Financial journalists handle news with financial value and have access to privileged market information which confront them with numerous ethical problems, namely the use of press releases, the influence of public relations, the use of financial jargon, reporting on shares and the securities market, journalists' dependence on analysts' opinions and recommendations, the receipt of freebies and insider trading. This assignment gives an overview of the incidence of unethical conduct in financial reporting in South Africa. Ethical principles relevant for financial reporting, namely accuracy, truth and deception, fairness, objectivity and conflict of interest are analysed, discussed and illustrated with incidences of possible unethical behaviour in financial reporting. The research method comprised the scrutiny of business sections of newspapers and articles in finance magazines, articles from the World Wide Web, as well as sources on media ethics and business journalism. Accuracy in financial reporting is a necessity for sound journalism. The impact of press releases on accuracy in financial reporting was investigated, but did not yield sufficient proof that they necessarily lead to inaccurate reporting. Financial journalists' reliance on the opinions and recommendations of business analysts, however, revealed a significant contribution to inaccurate reporting. A chore journalistic value, truth establishes trust between the media and the public. Financial reporting should promote understanding of the relevant facts, not only for readers with a keen interest in financial matters, but also for the average audience. South African financial journalists use excessive jargon, arcane financial data and affected language which may confuse and even mislead the general reader. Share price reporting in South Africa is generally factual and the investigation did not yield any incidences of share punting among financial journalists. Analysts' reports, however, pose a serious threat for media independence as financial journalists rely on their expertise. Conflicts of interest arise when there is conflict between a journalist's professional loyalties and outside interests. An investigation into possible insider trading in South African financial journalism did not yield any proof of such incidences. The receipt of freebies, however, remains a grey area because most codes of conduct of South African news agencies only prohibit the receipt of freebies which are of more than nominal value. Recommendations include advanced journalism training courses which will enhance journalists' business writing skills and knowledge of basic Economics and finance, columns in financial publications which explain financial jargon and a greater emphasis on media ethics. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Finansiële verslaggewing is een van die mees vatbare sektore vir onetiese optrede in die joernalistiek. Finansiële verslaggewers het toegang tot vertroulike markinligting en doen beriggewing wat finansiële waarde het. Daarom word hulle dikwels gekonfronteer met verskeie etiese probleme, naamlik die gebruik van persvrystellings, die invloed van skakelbeamptes en woordvoerders, die gebruik van finansiële jargon, aandele-beriggewing, die steun op analiste se menings en aanbevelings asook die ontvang van geskenke ("freebies") en die bemarking, aanbeveling of koop en verkoop van aandele. Hierdie werkstuk gee 'n oorsig van die voorkoms van onetiese gedrag in finansiële verslaggewing in Suid-Afrika. Etiese beginsels wat betrekking het op finansiële verslaggewing, naamlik noukeurigheid, waarheid en misleiding, regverdigheid, objektiwiteit en botsende belange word ondersoek, bespreek en toegelig met die voorkoms van moontlike onetiese gedrag in finansiële verslaggewing. Die navorsingsmetode het berus op die bestudering van sake-bylae van koerante, artikels en saketydskrifte, artikels wat van die Internet verkry is, en bronne oor media-etiek en finansiële verslaggewing. Noukeurigheid in finansiële verslaggewing is noodsaaklik vir goeie joernalistiek. Die ondersoek na die invloed van persvrystellings op die noukeurigheid van finansiële verslaggewing het nie voldoende bewyse gelewer dat noukeurigheid ingeboet word nie. Dat finansiële verslaggewers egter steun op die mening en aanbevelings van analiste het getoon dat analiste se menings en aanbevelings dikwels tot onakkurate verslaggewing lei. Die waarheid is 'n kernbeginsel in joernalistiek en bewerkstellig vertroue tussen die media en die publiek. Finansiële verslaggewing behoort 'n begrip van die toepaslike feite te bevorder - nie alleenlik vir lesers wat belangstel in finansiële aangeleenthede nie, maar ook vir die gemiddelde leser. Finansiële verslaggewers in Suid-Afrika gebruik oormatige jargon, ingewikkelde finansiële data en geaffekteerde taal wat die gemiddelde leser kan verwar en mislei. Aandele-beriggewing in Suid-Afrika is oor die algemeen feitelik en die ondersoek het nie getoon dat finansiële verslaggewers aandele bemark of aanbeveel nie. Analiste se verslae bedreig egter die onafhanklikheid van die media, omdat finansiële verslaggewers steun op hul kennis. Botsende belange kom voor indien konflik ontstaan tussen 'n joernalis se professionele pligte en belange van buite. 'n Ondersoek na die moontlikheid dat Suid-Afrikaanse joernaliste hul eie aandele bemark of aanbeveel het egter geen bewyse van dergelike gevalle opgelewer nie. Die ontvang van geskenke ("freebies") is egter 'n moeilike kwessie, omdat die meeste gedragskodes van Suid- Afrikaanse nuusagentskappe slegs die ontvang van "freebies" verbied indien dit 'n nominale waarde oorskry. Aanbevelings sluit in gevorderde joernalistieke opleidingsprogramme wat joernaliste se finansiële skryfvermoë en kennis van Ekonomie en finansies verskerp, rubrieke in finansiële publikasies wat finansiële jargon omskryf asook 'n beklemtoning van die belangrikheid van mediaetiek.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: When South Africa's President, Thabo Mbeki, began doubting that HfV was the cause of AIDS in the late nineties, the debate he introduced in his country was not new; it had raged in the United States as far back as a decade ago. But, even prior to that, there had been numerous controversies pertaining to the discovery of the Ill-virus. This thesis argues that those contentions created such a heated atmosphere that the causal debates that were to follow, however incredible they were, were largely unavoidable. In its coverage of the epidemic, the media were immersed in its own politics. During the early eighties, the gay newspapers in the US felt a personal responsibility to find the cause of a disease that was rapidly killing many of its readers. But, in the process, the often promoted unscientific and dangerous approaches. By the time the AIDS dissident debate had unraveled in the US, the gay media was so suspicious of the anti-gay Reagan government that they frequently advanced dissident arguments. The mainstream and scientific media, on the other hand, were perceived as rigidly supporting government institutions, excluding critical voices. When the dissident debate reached South Africa ten years later, the South African media was completely unprepared. Most journalists had never heard of AIDS dissidents; some had not even heard of HfV or the anti-AIDS drug AZT, that the President had labeled toxic. Begin a new democracy, with a history of white oppression, the black and white media differed immensely on how to cover 'the President's debate'. Criticism of the newly elected ANC government's arguments were often branded racist and unpatriotic, with journalists suffering regular intimidation at the hands of state officials and governmentaligned editors. This thesis examines the development of the politics surrounding the science of AIDS, from the discovery of'HfV up until Thabo Mbeki's controversial contentions. To an equal extent, it looks at the news media's coverage of the process, focusing on the approaches to the debate of various media outlets and individual journalists. It also raises ethical issues, particularly in South Africa, that emerged during one of the most widely reported debates in the country's history. It in no way attempts to provide a quantitative analysis of media coverage and, in the case of the US media, draws heavily on analytical studies conducted at the time. NOTE: In the analysis of the South African media's coverage of the AIDS dissident debate in Part Three: B, issues pertaining to the country's public broadcaster, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), were not discussed The reason was that the author was the Corporation's Health Correspondent at the time, and therefore too closely involved in the institution in order to provide an objective perspective. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Toe Suid-Afrika se president, Thabo Mbeki, in die laat jare negentig begin het om die oorsaak van VIGS in twyfel te trek, was die debat wat hy in sy land ingelei het, nie nuut nie; dit reeds 'n dekade tevore in die VSA gewoed. Maar, selfs voor daardie debat, was daar 'n hewige omstredenheid wat met die ontdekking van die MI-virus verband gehou het. Hierdie tesis argumenteer dat daardie omstredenheid so 'n driftige atmosfeer geskep het, dat die debat oor die oorsaak van VIGS wat sou volg, hoe ongeloofwaardig ook al, grootliks onvermydelik was. Met die dekking van die epidemie was die media in hul eie politiek gedompel. Tydens die vroeë jare tagtig het gay-koerante in die VSA 'n persoonlike verantwoordelikheid gevoel om die oorsaak te vind van 'n siekte wat baie van hulle lesers vinnig laat sterfhet. Maar, in die proses het hulle dikwels onwetenskaplike en gevaarlike benaderings bevorder. Teen die tyd dat die 'oorsaak-debat' in die VSA begin posvat het, was gay-koerante so agterdogtig oor die anti-gay Reagan-regering dat hulle dikwels 'afvallige' argumente aangemoedig het. Die hoofstroommedia en wetenskaplike joernale is aan die ander kant weer gesien as rigiede ondersteuners van regeringsorganisasies, wat kritiese stemme wou stilmaak. Toe die 'oorsaak-debat' Suid-Afrika tien jaar later bereik het, het dit die plaaslike media geheel en alonkant betrap. Die meeste joernaliste het toe nog nooit van 'VIGS-afvalliges' gehoor nie; party nie eens van MIV of die teenvigsmiddel AZT, wat die president as giftig geëtiketteer het nie. Daarby was die land 'n jong demokrasie met 'n geskiedenis van wit onderdrukking, wat meegebring het dat wit en swart media-instansies grotendeels verskil het oor hoe die 'president se debat' gedek moes word. Kritiek teen die nuut verkose ANC-regering se argumente is dikwels as rassisties of onpatrioties afgemaak, en regeringsamptenare of regeringsgesinde redakteurs het gereeld probeer om joernaliste te intimideer. Hierdie proefskrif ondersoek die ontwikkeling van die politiek rondom die wetenskap van VIGS, van die ontdekking van MIV tot en met Thabo Mbeki se omstrede argumente. Dit kyk ook na die nuusdekking van die proses, deur op die benaderings van verskeie media-instansies asook individuele joernalistse te fokus. Dit bespreek ook etiese kwessies wat tydens nuusdekking na vore gekom het, veral in Suid-Afrika, waar hierdie debat van die wydste nuusdekking óóit in die geskiedenis van die land geniet het. Dit poog geensins om 'n kwantitatiewe analise van mediadekking te verskaf nie, en waar die Amerikaanse media beskou word, word daar sterk gesteun op analitiese studies wat tydens die duur van die debat uitgevoer is. NOTA: In die analise van die Suid-Afrikaanse media se dekking van die 'oorsaak-debat' in Deel 3:B word kwessies wat met die nuusdekking van die land se openbare uitsaaier, die Suid-Afrikaanse Uitsaaikorporasie (SA UK), verband hou, nie bespreek nie. Die rede is dat die outeur die korporasie se gesondheidskorrespondent was, en was daarom te nou verbind aan die korporasie om 'n objektiewe perspektiefte verseker.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study attempts to explore aspects of the textual representation of Magadien Wentzel, the main character of The Number, a work of literary journalism by Jonny Steinberg. It sets out to respond to the following two central research questions: Firstly, what narrative decisions does Jonny Steinberg make in the text of The Number to convey aspects of the reality he experienced in relation to his main character, Magadien Wentzel; and secondly, what effect do these decisions have on the reader? As literary journalism is a genre with fluid boundaries and therefore various definitions, the thesis first presents the challenge of definition and lays out a broad history of the genre in its attempt to situate The Number as a work of social documentary and of literary journalism in South Africa. Taking realism as its theoretical point of departure, this study aligns itself with the view that there exists an independent, extra-textual real-world and that knowledge of this real-world can be produced and shared. In doing so, realism presents itself as a literary form associated with art that cannot turn away from harsh aspects of human existence – a characteristic mirrored by Steinberg’s (and thus his character’s) major themes. By means of a textual analysis which seeks to interpret aspects of Steinberg’s narrative decisions in his text, this study uses tools of literary realism, namely the empirical effect and the character effect, in its exploration. This research, conducted within the qualitative research paradigm, is informed in particular by the assumption that there exists an implicit communicative contract between author and reader which leads to narrative trust, seen as an indispensable quality to the non-fictional reading experience. In the case of Steinberg and The Number, this study finds that the writer’s representation of a particular reality relies to an important degree on the level of trust he is able to inspire in a reader. This is pertinent because, being factual, non-fiction demands that a reader not only imagine a world other than their own, but that they believe it too. One of the ways in which Steinberg enables a reader to trust his representation of his particular reality is by overtly placing his literary and authorial concerns alongside his reportage of Magadien Wentzel, the main character of The Number. This distinctive narrative approach results in a modification of the reader’s traditional contract with the writer, forged by the text between them, to one in which the text unites the reader with both Steinberg as narrator and Magadien Wentzel as character. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie poog om aspekte van die tekstuele voorstelling van Magadien Wentzel, die hoofkarakter in The Number, 'n werk van literêre joernalistiek deur Jonny Steinberg, te verken. Dit probeer om die volgende twee sentrale navorsingsvrae te beantwoord: Eerstens, watter narratiewe besluite neem Jonny Steinberg in die teks van The Number om aspekte van die werklikheid wat hy ervaar het met betrekking tot sy hoofkarakter, Magadien Wentzel, oor te dra, en tweedens, watter effek het dit op die leser? Aangesien literêre joernalistiek 'n genre is met vloeibare grense en daarom verskeie definisies, probeer die tesis eerstens die uitdaging van definisie te beantwoord. Daarmee lê dit ook 'n breë basis van die geskiedenis van die genre in sy poging om The Number te situeer as 'n sosiale dokumentêr en as literêre joernalistiek in Suid-Afrika. Met realisme as teoretiese vertrekpunt, vereenselwig hierdie studie hom daarmee dat 'n onafhanklike, ekstra-tekstuele regte wêreld bestaan, en dat kennis van dié “regte wêreld” geskep en gedeel kan word. So representeer realisme hom as 'n literêre vorm wat verband hou met die kunste, en wat sigself nie kan afwend van die harde aspekte van die menslike bestaan nie – 'n kenmerk wat deur Steinberg se hooftemas – en daarom ook dié van sy hoofkarakter – weerspieël word. Deur middel van 'n tekstuele analise wat poog om aspekte van Steinberg se narratiewe besluite in sy teks te interpreteer, gebruik hierdie studie aspekte van literêre realisme, naamlik die empiriese effek en die karakter-effek, in sy ondersoek. Hierdie navorsing, wat binne die kwalitatiewe navorsingsparadigma uitgevoer is, is veral geïnformeer deur die aanname dat daar 'n implisiete kommunikatiewe kontrak tussen die skrywer en die leser bestaan wat lei tot narratiewe vertroue, gesien as 'n onmisbare element van die nie-fiksie-leeservaring. In die geval van Steinberg en The Number het hierdie studie bevind dat die skrywer se voorstelling van 'n bepaalde werklikheid tot 'n belangrike mate berus op die vlak van vertroue wat hy by die leser genereer. Dit is belangrik, want synde feitelik, vereis nie-fiksie dat 'n leser nie net 'n wêreld anders as hul eie voorstel nie, maar dat hulle ook daarin kan glo. Een van die maniere waarop Steinberg 'n leser in staat stel om sy voorstelling van sy besondere werklikheid te vertrou, is deur die plasing van sy literêre en outeursbesorgdheid direk langs sy reportage van Magadien Wentzel, die hoofkarakter in The Number. Hierdie unieke narratiewe aanslag het ’n modifikasie van die leser se tradisionele kontrak met die skrywer tot gevolg, ’n kontrak wat gewoonlik deur die teks tussen hulle gesmee is, en wat verander in een waarin die teks die leser met beide Steinberg as verteller en Magadien Wentzel as karakter verenig het.

Thesis (MPhil (Journalism))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / Magazine publishers are under increasing pressure to extend their business strategies beyond the traditional printed products. A culture of instant gratification of media needs, pervasive social networking and the immediacy of content delivery, which are all provided by the World Wide Web, aggravate fears that readers will ultimately abandon the printed media in favour of the Internet as the primary content provider. These fears are rooted in the assumption that consumers choose the media they use based on preconceived ideas as to how these media will fulfil their needs. If the Internet succeeds in supplanting or displacing printed media, it could potentially destroy the traditional magazine model whereby publishers simultaneously generate revenue from the sale of media content to their audience and the sale of the audience’s attention to their advertisers. Therefore it is imperative that magazine publishers develop a relevant and efficient strategy to maintain their position as “intermediary” between advertisers and the media audience. To develop such a strategy, they need to understand what media uses consumers have for the Internet and what gratifications they expect to receive. Once this is understood, publishers could develop their online and offline strategies to service these uses and gratifications. This thesis contains qualitative research conducted in a phenomenological paradigm through the application of two descriptive surveys. The first survey focused on the experiences and attitudes of visitors to the website of WegSleep, an Afrikaans South African niche magazine for the caravanning and camping community, whilst the second compares similarities between the seven most visited magazine websites in South Africa during 2008. A correlation of the findings leads to the conclusion that although the Internet could potentially emulate all media, readers do not employ the Internet for exactly the same purposes as printed media. Whilst some displacement does take place, magazines are still better at serving readers’ affective and escapist needs. Conversely, the Internet is the preferred medium with regard to information gathering and cognitive media needs as well as personal integrative needs. Social integrative needs appear to be non medium specific. A complementary combination of the printed product and the online offering could therefore provide gratification of all media needs and promote brand loyalty instead of medium loyalty.

Thesis (MPhil (Journalism))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / This study examines the history, development and diversity of news agencies. It studies the major agencies and pinpoints how smaller wire services that sometimes purvey niche news seek to offer a more diverse global news-flow. The linkage between news agencies and technological developments, and how wire services have helped advance technology, is examined since the first agencies began in the 1800s, up to the current era of the Internet. The rise of television and the subsequent ascent of the Internet prompted new demands for more diverse news procurement. This accelerated the convergence of different media and has exposed challenges and opportunities to news agencies, large and small. Alongside the telegraph, news wire services expanded from supplying news and information locally to being global players, helping the world shrink. The mediahistoriographical approach engages a critical examination of literature sources regarding the development of the major wire services, and some of the smaller players. The literature, along with interviews with news agency experts, provides the material to examine wire services. The study shows how some original agencies leveraged opportunities offered by their standing in powerful nations to become dominant transnational players. The ascendancy of the mega-agencies compounded limited news-flows from developed to poorer nations, while an expansion of diversified news-flows has not matched technological progression. This study concludes by recommending greater recognition of the importance of news agencies and more scholarly examination of them, as studies on them appear scarce compared to those on other media branches, such as newspapers, the electronic media and the Internet. More studies into the development of both mainstream and alternative news agencies would pave the way for a better understanding of how they function and could provide clues as to how they might be able to better sustain themselves as more diverse entities for the benefit of the public discourse. Through the above, this dissertation seeks to contribute, in a small way, to rectifying a knowledge disparity regarding a key component of the mass media, namely the news agency.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The debate about the validity of evolution versus creationism started long ago when Charles Darwin published The Origin of Species. Yet today the debate about this issue still engenders a lot of controversy – not only in South Africa, but also, and especially, in the United States. This study investigates articles and letters to the editor in an Afrikaans daily newspaper, Die Burger, over a certain period, and will look at the arguments for and against evolution and creationism. The fact that creationists – despite so much evidence to the contrary – pursue a form of pseudoscience by (sometimes) interpreting the Bible literally, and, amongst other things, deny the real age of the earth. There has never been an in-depth look at the public debate about evolution versus creationism in a South African newspaper. The purpose of this study is to conduct an in-depth investigation into this particular debate in the media, with specific reference to correspondence in the letters pages of Die Burger, with regard to the possible influence which the debate about evolution and creationism in an Afrikaans daily newspaper might have on people’s consciousness regarding modern science. It will also explore how some individuals, often conservative believers, still cling to ancient viewpoints and which have repeatedly been disproved by science. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die debat oor die geldigheid van evolusie teenoor kreasionisme het lank gelede begin toe Charles Darwin sy werk The Origin of Species gepubliseer het. Tog ontlok die debat hieroor steeds groot kontroversie – nie net in Suid-Afrika nie, maar veral ook in Amerika. Hierdie studie kyk na beriggewing en briefwisseling in Die Burger oor ’n bepaalde tydperk en die argumente vir én teen evolusie en kreasionisme. Daar sal veral klem gelê word op die feit dat die kreasioniste – soveel bewyse ten spyt – ’n vorm van pseudowetenskap beoefen deur in sommige gevalle die Bybel letterlik te interpreteer, en onder meer die werklike ouderdom van die aarde ontken. Daar is nog nie voorheen indringend gekyk na die openbare debat oor evolusie versus kreasionisme in ’n koerant in Suid-Afrika nie. Die doel met hierdie studie is om ’n omvattende ondersoek te doen oor die debat in die media, met spesifieke verwysing na briefwisseling in Die Burger, ten opsigte van die moontlike invloed wat die debat oor evolusie en kreasionisme in ’n Afrikaanse dagblad op mense se bewussyn oor die moderne wetenskap kan hê. Daar word ook gekyk na hoe sommige mense, dikwels konserwatiewe gelowiges, steeds bly vasklou aan beskouinge wat lank reeds verouderd is en wat herhaaldelik deur die wetenskap verkeerd bewys is.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This is a study of media management in the publication industry under conditions of rapid environmental change. The study focuses on a particular case, The Mannequin, a niche publication serving many purposes. The study finds that environmental change creates major challenges for commercial survival. Explicit change management procedures are required. The study recommends a set of change management procedures suitable for small, niche market publications. It then recommends avenues for further research. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie is ’n studie van mediabestuur in die publikasie-industrie onder vinnigveranderende omstandighede. Die studie fokus op ’n spesifieke geval, The Mannequin, ‘n nismarkpublikasie wat verskeie doelstellings vervul. Die studie bevind dat omstandigheidsveranderinge groot uitdagings skep vir kommersiële oorlewing. Eksplisiete verandersingsbestuurprosedures is nodig. Die studie beveel ’n stel veranderingsbestuurprosedures vir klein, nismark publikasies aan. Dit beveel ook verdere opsies vir navorsing aan.

Thesis (MPhil (Journalism))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / During the first five to six years of the twenty-first century, the South African magazine industry fragmented at a rapid rate and consumers had an ever-expanding choice of titles. The spawning of niche markets as a result of this fragmentation was bolstered by a period of sustained growth in the South African economy, buoyed by conditions in global economic markets. The research assignment focuses on the fragmentation of the South African magazine market and the subsequent spawning of niche markets. The decline in the market that followed the period of sustained growth is also taken into account. Qualitative research methodology was used to investigate the research question. The broad theoretical frameworks applied are postmodernism, the fragmentation that occurs as a result of postmodernism, and specifically the political economy of the media. The short-term and long-term challenges for magazines are discussed. These include increased competition, greater consolidation, decreasing adspend, diminishing marketshare, and the arrival of broadband in South Africa. Within the context of greater fragmentation and increased competition, it is found that the increase in the number of magazine titles starts to slow, and eventually show negative growth. This is a result of the global and local economic climate, as well as elements within the political economy of the media, namely consolidation and concentration of ownership within the local industry.

Thesis (MPhil) -- University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The state of media literacy in South Africa was investigated on the basis of a case study. A survey was conducted among grade 10 learners in two Free State schools which are amongst the top achievers academically to determine if these learners possess the knowledge linked with media literacy. It was found that the majority of these learners do not. It is therefore imperative that the media industry promotes media literacy through assistance to teachers and independent training programmes aimed at learners. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: 'n Ondersoek na die stand van mediageletterdheid in Suid-Afrika is aan die hand van 'n gevallestudie gedoen. Die aan- of afwesigheid van kennis wat mediageletterdheid veronderstel, is met behulp van 'n vraelys onder gr. 10-leerders aan twee van die Vrystaat se voorste (akademiese) skole gemeet. Die navorser het bevind dat die meerderheid van dié leerders nie oor dié kennis beskik nie. Die bevindinge dui op die noodsaaklikheid van steun aan onderwysers vanuit die bedryf asook die aanbied van onafhanklike opleidingsprogramme deur mediamaatskappye