A research report submitted to the faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Science by combination of coursework and research. Johannesburg, 2016. / The aims of the study were to provide an overview of how online newspapers portray astronomy news in terms of framing and tone. The “tone” is used as a way to analyse and reflect on the mood of the article, whether the journalist reports about positive or negative news. The study sought to understand what aspects of astronomy news are covered by South African online newspapers because using real world examples and stories as a way of learning has a magnetic attractiveness to the majority of students. This is one of the reasons why a newspaper is the perfect teaching and learning tool because it is regarded as a medium that can heighten students’ knowledge, enhance students’ vocabulary skills, conceptual understanding and encourage a positive attitude towards learning. The study was underpinned by framing theory which suggests that presentation can influence the choices people make; it is a procedure where people improve a specific conceptualisation and change their perception about it. A mixed method was used since it combines both qualitative methods and quantitative methods to deal with different questions of the research study. A data collecting instrument was not required to conduct the study because the data was already available on the internet, however, the researcher developed and modified an instrument to analyse the available data. The Nisbet framework and a modified story analysis form were used as coding instruments. Newspapers articles were retrieved from the internet using search terms such as “SKA, astronomy, planets”. The samples were two online newspapers, the Mail & Guardian and News24 from 1st January 2012 to 31st July 2015. The quantitative results were divided into two, firstly for the Mail & Guardian and secondly for News24. Items that were analysed for each online newspaper were: news origin, news treatment, geographical focus, photos and graphics, framing techniques, the Nisbet framework, word average, and general reaction. The Mail & Guardian has longer news article lengths than News24. This might suggest that New24’s news articles are better to use since they are shorter and the aim of using newspapers is to make teaching and learning science fun and productive. The qualitative results indicated that astronomy articles in newspapers are flooded with scientific terms that are not explained. Teachers need to assess and make students think about the content from the newspaper story and to recognise that stories in the newspaper are written differently from school textbooks. The research study indicated that newspapers can be used and are useful in science class if they are used correctly and, at the same time, textbooks and other teaching materials are also used. The use of newspaper when teaching science is undoubtedly one of the effective ways of teaching science whether in an informal or formal learning context. Using newspapers increases students’ knowledge and improves students’ vocabulary skills to enhance conceptual understanding. Key words Astronomy, Mail & Guardian, News24, Story Analysis Form, Nisbet Framework, Informal Learning, formal learning and Science. / LG2017

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Newspapers across the world, and more particularly here in South Africa, are in trouble due to dropping circulation figures and reduced income from advertisements. Technology, although impacting on the printed product, should not be seen as a threat, but rather as an opportunity. New and novel ways need to be explored to generate revenue from newspaper websites, by increased subscription figures, as well as other ways of monetizing content. Revenue from advertisements is still important in the online environment, but online news services can generate money in other ways by monetizing online news content through different payment models, advertorial content and e-commerce. In this study, the needs of users of an Afrikaans regional newspaper’s website will be explored and cues taken from the results of an online survey in order to better understand what it is that online news users want and what they are willing to pay for it, which is, by all accounts, not a lot.

The study seeks to investigate whether weblogs can act as virtual public spheres, where people can meet to discuss issues of interest to them. It uses the Mail & Guardian Online’s Blogmark as a case study. Weblogs – highly interactive online journals comprised of links and postings in reverse chronological order – are fast becoming an avenue of choice for many internet users wanting to share opinions and news with others online. Because of their unique read-and-write characteristics, some have equated them to the 18th century coffeehouses, around which the early forms of citizen involvement in public affairs began in early capitalist Europe. Despite their growing popularity, however, not much scholarly work has been dedicated to the practice of blogging in Africa, and particularly in South Africa. The study’s theoretical framework is drawn from Jürgen Habermas’s concept of the public sphere. While noting some of the criticisms of the Habermasian model, it is argued that the concept is instrumental in our understanding of the relationship between the media and democracy. The study, however, adopted a re-worked model of the concept of the public sphere. This model argues for the need to have a multiplicity of public sphericules (instead of one single public sphere as advocated by Habermas), around which individuals can congregate to discuss issues of common concern to them. Using a combination of qualitative content analysis, self-completion questionnaires and a semi-structured interview, the study found Blogmark to be an example of how emerging internet genres such as weblogs can be vehicles of citizen involvement in public life. A range of issues were discussed in the blog, from politics, race and ii i gender issues, to personal anecdotes, relationships, and sex. However, while some posts exhibited high levels of interactivity, with many bloggers joining in to offer their opinions, some read like online monologues. The study argues that although blogging is a practice that is still limited to a few privileged individuals, with the everrising size of the ‘blogosphere’, weblogs such as Blogmark are making a small but not insignificant contribution to the number of voices that can be heard in the public realm.

This study examines the evolution of online news strategy in South African and American newspaper companies, and compares the approaches used in the two countries. The Internet has had a major effect on news worldwide, and has contributed to sweeping changes in the news industry in all media. This study looks at the changes and the evolving strategy wrought by online news in the newspaper industry in two countries. In order to do this comparison, a model of the US experience has been constructed, using material published in the US academic and professional journalism press. Since there is no equivalent published material available dealing with the South African experience, interviews were conducted with staff at two newspaper companies (Johnnic and Naspers), and a broad historical overview was created for each company. These “narrative histories” were then compared with the US model, and areas of commonality and difference were highlighted and discussed. Several structural and national differences be tween the two countries were also raised and analysed. Finally, a conclusion as to how applicable the US model is to the South African experience is drawn, and suggestions are made for further study.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The World Wide Web should become more important as technology advances. Because people use the Web differently to traditional media, media companies should investigate the new medium to fully reap its benefits and to understand its future impact on their revenue streams. British media companies have co-operated and invested heavily in the Internet for years and continue to do so through content portals, typically web sites for their newspaper titles. They initially did so to protect themselves from entrepreneurs who potentially threatened their classified advertising revenues with Web-only classified advertising directories. Classified advertising works better on the Web. A newspaper's website seems to have no adverse effect on its circulation. Via their websites, newspapers can reach and market to people who would otherwise not buy them. British advertisers are spending more on advertising online and on advertising in the regional press. Rapidly expanding Newsquest is the second-largest British regional publisher. Its management structure is hierarchial and it aggressively controls costs. Although the digital media department of Newsquest (London) has some flaws (notably when it comes to communication with other departments), its strategy is generally sound. Newsquest's newsrooms are multi-media and all journalists contribute to and maintain newspaper websites. Most of Newsquest's Internet revenue comes from charging classified advertisers more for uploading their adverts to the websites. The adverts are listed in Fish-t, a classified advertising database maintained by most UK regional publishers. Whereas Newsquest's regional policies are generally sound, national plans and software programmes are often not suitable for such a devolved corporation. Newquest's strategy of aggressive cost control by underpaying staff (and hence often not being able to retain top performers) jeopardises its classified advertising revenues, as the competition it faces on the Web is larger than in traditional circulation areas. Greater automation is necessary to bypass shortomings and errors made by low-performing staff. The Watford Observer's website is operated similarly to a free newspaper. Newsroom staff are encouraged to take ownership of it and emphasis lies on convincing online readers to buy The Watford Observer in print. The website plays an important role in marketing the newspaper and mainly generates profit by providing added value to advertisers. The newspaper's circulation has been falling for some time and some senior managers ascribe this to the Internet. By means of a home delivery system that allows people to subscribe to the printed newspaper online, circulation could be boosted through the website. The current subscriptions model is ineffective. With the exception of CaxtonlCTP, some major South African media companies with regional titles follow a pro-active newspaper website strategy. Although there is a critical mass of wealthy consumers and technological development is sufficient, government telecommunications policy and the telephone operator's monopoly seriously undermine Internet use and media companies' profits from it. As technology advances (portable, fold-up displays are not far off), newspaper content may in future be displayed exclusively online. This is problematic, as display advertising is ineffective on the Web. Newspaper publishers could acquire mobile telephone operators and Internet service providers to control these developments. Newspaper companies must (and many do) accept they need to be multimedia publishers in the future. South African media companies are forced to maintain low-key Internet operations until government telecommunications policy changes. Newsquest's online business model is an example what could potentially be achieved. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die web behoort belangriker te word soos tegnologie vooruitgaan. Omdat 'n mens dit anders gebruik as tradisionele media, behoort mediamaatskappye die nuwe medium te ondersoek om volle voordeel daaruit te trek en die volle impak daarvan op hullopende inkomste te verstaan. Britse mediamaatskappye het saamgespan en het jare lank in die Internet belê deur die handhawing van inhoudsportale en, meer spesifiek, koerantwebwerwe. Oorspronklik het hulle dit gedoen om hulself te beskerm teen entrepreneurs wat moontlik hul persoonlike advertensies met web-gebaseerde persoonlike advertensiegidse sou bedreig. Persoonlike advertensies werk beter op die web. 'n Koerant se sirkulasie blyk nie benadeel te word deur sy webwerf nie. Deur hul webwerwe kan koerante mense (ook vir bemarkingsdoeleindes ) bereik wat andersins nie die koerant sou koop nie. Britse adverteerders bestee meer aan aanlynadvertensies en adverteer toenemend m die streekspers. Newsquest groei vinnig en is die tweede-grootste Britse streeksuitgewer. Die maatskappy het 'n hiërargiese bestuurstruktuur en beperk agressiefbedryfskoste. Al het Newsquest (London) se digitale mediadepartement foute (veral wat kommunikasie met ander departemente betref), is strategie in die algemeen goed. Newsquest se nuuskantore is multimedia en alle joernaliste dra by tot die inhoud en onderhoud van koerantwebwerwe. Newsquest verdien sy meeste internet-inkomste deur meer te vra vir aanlyn-persoonlike advertensies op sy werwe. Advertensies word dan in Fish4, 'n persoonlike advertensiedatabasis, wat deur die meeste Britse streekskoerantuitgewers gebruik en versorg word, aangebied. Al is Newsquest se beleid op streeksvlak oor die algemeen goed, is nasionale planne en sagteware-programme baie keer nie toepaslik vir so 'n gedesentraliseerde maatskappy nie. Newsquest se strategie om agressief koste te beheer deur werknemers lae salarisse te betaal (en as gevolg daarvan dikwels nie top-presteerders te behou nie), stel sy persoonlike advertensie-inkomste in gevaar omdat die mededinging wat die maatskappy op die Internet in die gesig staar groter is as op tradisionele sirkulasie-areas. Groter outomatisering is nodig om tekortkomings en foute, wat deur sleg betaalde en onderpresterende werknemers veroorsaak word, te omseil. The Watford Observer se webwerf word soos 'n gratis koerant bestuur. Joernaliste word aangespoor om besit daarvan te neem en 'n klem word daarop geplaas om aanlyn-lesers te oortuig om die koerant te koop. Die webwerf speel 'n belangrike rol in die bemarking van die koerant en verhoog hoofsaaklik wins deur waarde by te voeg by persoonlike advertensies. Die koerant se sirkulasie val al vir geruime tyd en sommige senior bestuurders skryf dit toe aan die Internet. Deur 'n afleweringsdiens wat mense die moontlikheid gee om aanlyn in te teken vir die gedrukte koerant, kan sirkulasie egter deur die webwerf verbeter word. Die huidige intekenmodel in ondoeltreffend. Met die uitsondering van CaxtonlCTP volg sommige Suid-Afrikaanse mediamaatskappye met streekstitels 'n pro-aktiewe koerantwebwerf-strategie. Hoewel daar 'n voldoende aantal welvarende tegnologiese en verbruikersontwikkeling is, ondermyn die regering se telekommunikasiebeleid en die telefoonmaatskappy se monopolie ernstig Internetgebruik en mediamaatskappye se wins daaruit. Soos tegnologie vooruitgaan (byvoorbeeld draagbare, opvoubare skerms), mag koerantinhoud in die toekoms dalk uitsluitlik aanlyn aangebied word. Dit is problematies, omdat gewone advertensies ondoeltreffend op die web is. Koerantuitgewers mag dalk selfoonoperateurs en Internet-diensverskaffers aankoop om hierdie ontwikkelings te beheer. Suid-Afrikanse mediamaatskappye IS gedwing om lae vlak Internet-bedrywighede te handhaaf totdat die regering se telekommunikasiebeleid verander. Newsquest se aanlynmodel is 'n voorbeeld van wat bereik kan word.

The 1996 Constitution of South Africa is ranked as one of the most liberal and democratic constitutions in the world. The right to freedom of sexual orientation, equality and the freedom of association amongst other rights is in its Bill of Rights and are thus inherently assured and protected in post- apartheid, democratic South Africa. However, the Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community continue to face discrimination and prejudice despite this newly established constitutional order. The present study is interested in how, in the light of the equality clause in the South African constitution, homosexuality is represented and constructed in the South African media. The thesis examines representations of homosexuality between the years 1999-2013 in articles collected from the Independent Online media site which incorporates 30 newspapers. The approach focuses on the topics, overall news report schemata, local meanings, style and rhetoric of the news reports. The results of the study show that negative attitudes towards homosexuality are framed in three main ways: homosexuality is represented as "unAfrican"; "ungodly" and "unnatural". I argue that rather than extreme forms of violence (such as "corrective rape" and murder) directed against LGBT citizens being interpreted as the aberrant behaviour of a few, these need to be understood in the context of the circulation of the above justificatory narratives.

The escalating number of cash-in-transit robberies in South Africa is of major concern and this requires information in South African electronic newspaper articles as a source of intelligence. The aim of this study is to determine if newspaper articles on Cash-in-transit robbery can be a source of intelligence. The researcher identified sources which can be used for data collection that could be turned into intelligence. Electronic newspaper articles were explored and turned into informative documents in terms of information that can be gathered about cash-in-transit robberies. The researcher discussed the available sources of intelligence and intelligence that can be gathered through newspaper articles. The researcher conducted the study with the purpose of exploring, describing, and empowering. Exploring existing method used to gather intelligence on crime and CIT robberies, exploring and the topic under investigation the by consulting national and international sources and local newspaper articles, in order to obtain new knowledge on the problem, exploring if newspaper articles could provide intelligence on CIT robberies, by examining existing literature to gather information about the sources of intelligence. Furthermore, the researcher also wanted to describe how newspaper articles can be used in the investigation of CIT robberies. Lastly, to ensure that this research is made available to other researchers who have an interest in exploring the sources of information and the crime intelligence-gathering process. To accomplish this, the researcher examined national and international literature found in textbooks, research articles; master’s dissertations and PhD theses; newspaper articles (online); and searched the internet with the intention of finding data that could answer the research questions. / Police Practice / M.A. (Criminal Justice)