The objective of this study was to investigate whether community print media is fulfilling its developmental mandate in society using a comparative study of Alex News and Greater Alex Today community newspapers. This study is as the result of an outcry from various stakeholders claiming that community print media is no longer playing its developmental role in society due to the impact of structure and agency. They also claim that community media is no longer representing the interests and needs of the communities that it serves and lacks community participation. There are also concerns that community print media is no longer serving historically disadvantaged communities and is failing in its role to disseminate information in the community. They claimed that the control and ownership of community media is not in the hands of the community that it is supposed to serve, but in the hands of outsiders who are after business opportunities and profit-making. The qualitative research method was used for this study and the findings correlated with the literature reviewed. It concluded that the constraints of structure and agency is shaping the role of community media in society. Based on these findings the research recommends that government should assist the community newspapers by providing a subsidised printing machine that can be placed in a central place for easy access by the community newspapers. It also recommends that the community newspaper should transform from the traditional newspaper print to digital media to cut the printing costs and that the government should allocate more funds to MDDA. / Communication Science / M.A. (Communication Science)

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The print media, especially newspapers, play an important role in providing information in any society. In the rural communities of South Africa, information available to the people is scanty. Growth of a newspaper is necessary if a newspaper is to fulfil its duties. The Zoutpansberger and Mirror are two of the few local newspapers that circulate in the Far North Region of the Northern Province. The Zoutpansberger, which started in 1985, has experienced negative growth in the various departments of the newspaper, while the Mirror, which started in September 1990, has experienced slow growth. Several factors have been responsible for this. Therefore, there was a need to examine and compare the factors that have affected the growth/development of the newspapers over ten years. The aims and objectives of the study are to examine and compare the factors that affect the growth and development of the Zoutpansberger and Mirror, give suggestions to facilitate future growth and the best ways of utilising the available resources. A literature survey was carried out to get the perspectives of other researchers. Data was collected after conducting personal interviews, using the interview schedule. It was analysed and interpreted with the use of graphs and charts. The findings reveal that economic, social, cultural and geographical factors affect the growth of the newspaper. A few recommendations have been given to highlight ways in which the paper can make full use of the available resources. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die drukmedia, in die besonder koerante, speel 'n belangrike rol in die oordrag van inligting in enige samelewing. In die plattelandse gemeenskappe van Suid-Afrika is die beskikbare inligting karig. Vir 'n koerant om sy pligte na te kom, is dit nodig dat die koerant groei. Die Zoutpansberger en Mirror is twee van die plaaslike koerante in die Verre Noorde-streek van die Noordelike Provinsie. Die Zoutpansberger, gestig in 1985, het negatiewe groei In verskeie afdelings ondervind, terwyl die Mirror, gestig in September 1990, stadige groei ondervind het. Verskeie faktore is hiervoor verantwoordelik. Daar was daarom 'n behoefte om die faktore te ondersoek wat die groei van die koerante oor 'n tydperk van tien jaar beïnvloed het. Die doel van die studie is om die faktore wat die groei en ontwikkeling van die Zoutpansberger en die Mirror geraak het, te ondersoek en te vergelyk en om voorstelle te gee wat toekomstige groei en optimale benutting van beskikbare bronne kan bewerkstellig. 'n Literatuurstudie is gedoen om die perspektiewe van ander navorsers te betrek. Data is ingesamel nadat persoonlike onderhoude gedoen is met behulp van die onderhoudskedule. Dit is geanaliseer en geïnterpreteer met behulp van grafika en kaarte. Die bevindinge bring aan die lig dat ekonomiese, maatskaplike, kulturele en geografiese faktore die groei van die koerant beïnvloed. Enkele voorstelle is gemaak om moontlike maniere te belig waarop die koerant die beskikbare bronne ten volle kan benut.

Text in English / Social media has taken the world by storm and keeps on evolving. This evolution poses a threat as well as an opportunity to mankind, to the livelihoods of hordes of people employed in the media industry. It also presents a unique opportunity to chart new waters. This study explores the convergence and divergence of new media and traditional media. This divergence and convergence, if properly understood, will help in understanding the future of traditional media, and thus mitigate the threats posed by the ever evolving social media and communication technologies. This study provided a test case on the legitimacy of traditional media in as much as the ‘public interest and purveyor of public opinion’ clause of the media is concerned. The media cannot afford to live by Marx doctrine of “he who owns the means of production also controls the production of ideas in that epoch’. If it is going to be a driver and custodian of democracy in a new emerging Africa, the media has a responsibility to be the voice of the voiceless. Social media plugs the gap that traditional media leaves. Thus, the two can thus complement each other, rather than compete with each other within the same space. The population in Africa is becoming younger and younger and by extension they are moving away from traditional media towards digital and social media. There is an opportunity to be seized there. This study established that the traditional media has entrenched ways of looking at news, which are normally divergent from the way that the general populace, as captured in social media does. / Communication Science / M.A. (Communication Science)