Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The appearance and content of magazines in the South African consumer market has changed drastically during the past two decades. Where once only a handful of women’s magazines existed from which readers could choose, shelves in shops today are filled to capacity with glossy publications which address every possible need, interest and desire of feminine readers. This diversification in the South African women’s magazine market happened almost overnight and there is no doubt that the advent of the niche market of women-focused magazines has changed the landscape of the South African magazine. The established traditional women’s magazine of broad general interest had to take cognizance meticulously of the worldwide trend and of various economical, political and socio-cultural factors influencing the successful publication of women’s magazines locally. The aim of this study is to see how the advent and growth of niche-market magazines focused exclusively on matters of interest specifically to women such as home, décor, garden, food, health, lifestyle, handcrafts and parenting have affected the world of the “traditional” South African women’s magazine. The researcher endeavours to answer the question as to whether the traditional women’s magazine of general interest can survive the flood of new “women-directed” magazines and has concluded that in order not only to survive, but to maintain necessary profit margins, the traditional general interest women’s magazine is going to have to adapt its contents urgently and continuously to the needs of its readers. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die voorkoms en samestelling van tydskrifte in die Suid-Afrikaanse verbruikersmark het radikaal verander gedurende die laaste twee dekades. Waar daar eers net ʼn tiental vrouetydskrifte was waaruit lesers kon kies, is winkelrakke nou tot boordensvol met glanspublikasies wat elke moontlike behoefte of begeerte van vroulike lesers aanspreek. Hierdie fragmentasie in die Suid-Afrikaanse vrouetydskrifmark het byna oornag gebeur en daar is geen twyfel dat die koms van “vrou-gerigte” nistydskrifte die landskap van Suid-Afrikaanse vrouetydskrifte heeltemal verander het nie. Die gevestigde “tradisionele” vrouetydskrif moes noukeurig kennis neem van hierdie wêreldwye tendens en moes verder ook verskeie ekonomiese, politieke en sosio-kulturele faktore wat die suksesvolle publikasie van vrouetydskrifte beïnvloed, in gedagte hou. Die doel van hierdie studie is om te kyk hoe die ontstaan en ontwikkeling van nistydskrifte wat op bepaalde “vrou-gerigte” onderwerpe soos huis, dekor, tuin, kos, gesondheid, leefstyl, handwerk en ouerskap fokus, die wêreld van die “tradisionele” Suid-Afrikaanse vrouetydskrifte geraak het. Die navorser poog om die vraag of die “tradisionele algemene belangstelling”- vrouetydskrif die vloedgolf nuwe “vrou-gerigte” nistydskrifte gaan oorleef, te beantwoord. Die gevolgtrekking is dat die “tradisionele” vrouetydskrif haar inhoud indringend en op ʼn voortdurende basis sal moet aanpas by die behoeftes van haar lesers, nie alleen ter wille van oorlewing nie, maar ten einde noodsaaklike winsmarges te kan handhaaf.

Thesis (MPhil (Journalism))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study examines how positively or negatively as well as how subjectively or objectively the South African tabloid newspapers represent black celebrities. This examination was primarily conducted by using the content analysis research technique. The researcher selected a total of 85 newspapers spread across four different South African daily and weekend tabloid newspapers that were published during the period February to September 2008. The results from the data collected reveal that tabloid newspapers tend to overemphasize negativity when reporting about black celebrities. The findings also reveal a clear differential in the representation of black female celebrities vis-à-vis male celebrities. Unlike male celebrities whose roles were mainly defined in terms of political activities and personal disputes, female celebrities’ roles were largely confined to relationships and sex. The language used by the four newspapers in their representation of celebrities appears to be humiliating and, in some instances, downright disparaging. There is little doubt that media representations of celebrities, whether positive or negative, serve as mirrors to how some members of society behave. To this end, there needs to be a shift from the current preoccupation with sensationalizing negative news when South African tabloid newspapers report on black celebrities. Tabloid newspapers should judiciously use their greater focus on celebrities’ private lives to report on more positive personal stories that focus on the achievements of celebrities, including how some celebrities are living positively with HIV/AIDS. Since this study only focused on South African tabloid newspapers’ representations of black celebrities, and only employed the content analysis method, further research is recommended on the impact of celebrities’ representations on the South African society. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek hoe positief of negatief, asmede subjektief of objektief, daar oor swart beroemdes in Suid-Afrikaanse ponie- of skinderkoerante verslag gedoen word. Die ondersoek is primêr met behulp van die inhoudsanaliseondersoekmetode uitgevoer. Die navorser het 85 koerante uit vier verskillende Suid-Afrikaanse dagblaaie en naweekponiekoerante gekies uit die tydperk Februarie tot September 2008. Die resultate toon ‘n tendens in die poniekoerante dat oorwegend negatiewe verslagdoening oor swart beroemdes vooropgestel word. Die bevindinge toon ook ’n duidelike verskil tussen die verslagdoening oor beroemde swart vroue teenoor dié oor swart mans. In teenstelling met die mans wie se rolle hoofsaaklik ingevolge hulle politieke aktiwiteite en persoonlike dispute gedefinieer word, word beroemde swart vroue se rolle hoofsaaklik beperk tot verhoudings en seks. Die taalgebruik in die verslaggewing oor beroemdes in die vier poniekoerante blyk uiters vernederend, en in sommige gevalle, selfs degraderend en wrang te wees. Daar bestaan min twyfel dat verslaggewing oor beroemdes in die media, hetsy positief of negatief, weerspieël hoe sommige lede van die samelewing lewe. Om hierdie rede is ’n verskuiwing in die huidige beheptheid met die sensasionalisering van negatiewe nuus in die verslaggewing oor swart beroemdes nodig. Poniekoerante wat op die persoonlike lewens van beroemdes fokus behoort na meer positiewe verslagdoening oor hul prestasies te strewe, insluitend, hoe sommige beroemdes positief met MIV/Vigs lewe. Aangesien hierdie navorsing net op verslagdoening oor swart beroemdes in Suid-Afrikaanse poniekoerante kragtens die inhoudsanalisemetorde gefokus het, word verdere navorsing aanbeveel oor die impak van verslagdoening oor beroemdes op die Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing.