Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This project was undertaken in order to investigate the phenomenon of repositioning/rejuvenation in the South African women magazine industry, rooi rose and SARIE in particular. These two women magazines, already in a mature phase and seemingly showing very little difference in identity, have been constantly competing with one another for many years. One of the goals of the study is to determine whether the manner in which repositioning is applied would be a sustainable solution and/or whether, considering the saturated market in SA, this would be the sole solution. Hypothetically speaking, the recipe for success may be embedded in new or innovative information and information to support the adopting process of the reader. The Diffusion of Innovation theory is used as the theoretical platform. A content analysis of rooi rose and SARIE for the period July 2002 to December 2003 has been conducted and applied to seven categories. The data has been scientifically analysed using the Student’s t-test. It emerged from the quantitative study that no correlation could be found between innovative content and content supporting the adopting process, and the fluctuation of the ABC figures during that time period. By no means is this an indication that innovative content does not play an important role in the editorial mix, only that SARIE’s better performance since its repositioning should be attributed to other factors. The two magazines are almost similar in terms of positioning, content and target market. For this reason, the role that publicity plays at the launch of each monthly issue should not be underestimated. The Afrikaans women magazine market shows meagre growth that points publishers into other directions such as the expats market, for future growth and survival. Finally, the general interest women magazine should seriously consider her own role in providing innovative information for her reader in order to counter the strong upcoming niche magazine market, which seems to have taken over this very important function of providing innovative information and content supporting the adoption process. In the meantime, change as the only constant means that repositioning or rejuvenation is a given factor in the game of survival. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie ondersoek is onderneem om die verskynsel van herposisionering/vernuwing en die wyse waarop dit toegepas word in die Suid-Afrikaanse vrouetydskrifmark te ondersoek, met spesifieke verwysing na rooi rose en SARIE. Die twee genoemde vrouetydskrifte is reeds in hul volwasse stadium, is in konstante mededinging met mekaar en blyk op die oog af dieselfde identiteit te hê. Die vraag of die wyse waarop herposisionering toegepas is, inderdaad ’n volhoubare oplossing is, of die enigste oplossing in die lig van ’n moontlike versadigde mark, is een van die doelwitte van die studie. ’n Hipotetiese stelling is gemaak dat die resep vir sukses moontlik in vernuwende inhoud lê, en in inhoud wat die daaropvolgende besluitnemingsproses van die leser ondersteun. Die Diffusie van Innoveringsteorie is as teoretiese vertrekpunt gebruik. ’n Inhoudsanalise van rooi rose en SARIE is oor die tydperk Julie 2002 tot Desember 2003 gedoen en toegepas in sewe kategorieë. Die data is met behulp van die Student se t-toets wetenskaplik geanaliseer. Op grond van die resultate van hierdie kwantitatiewe ondersoek is bevind dat vernuwende inhoud en inhoud wat die besluitnemingsproses ondersteun, geen korrelasie getoon het met die styging en daling van die ABC-syfers nie. Dit beteken geensins dat vernuwende inhoud nie ’n belangrike deel van die inhoudsvermenging uitmaak nie, bloot dat SARIE se sukses sedert herposisionering dus toe te skryf is aan ander faktore. Die twee tydskrifte stem grootliks ooreen in terme van posisionering, inhoud en teikenmark. Daarom is die rol wat publisiteit speel ten tye van die bekendstelling van ’n nuwe uitgawe van groot belang. Die Afrikaanse vrouetydskrifmark toon nie veel meer groei nie, wat beteken dat die twee tydskrifte ander opsies soos onder meer die “expats”-mark moet ondersoek. Ten slotte sal die algemene vrouetydskrif ernstiger moet besin oor haar rol in die aanbieding van innoverende inhoud en inhoud wat die besluitnemingsproses ondersteun as sy die opkomende nistydskrifmark, wat op die oog af hierdie funksie oorgeneem het, wil trotseer. In die tussentyd sal tydskrifte vir lief daarmee moet neem dat gereelde herposisionering/vernuwing noodsaaklik is vir oorlewing.