M.A. (Communication) / The daily press in several Western countries is subjected to certain market, psychological and economic inspired changes that threaten its very existence. This assumption is manifested in the fact that the total circulation of daily newspapers in most Western countries does not seem to be keeping pace with the ever increasing growth in population. In fact, in the last ten to fifteen years, there has been a decline in the circulation figures of some daily newspapers in the West resulting in many closures. For example, in South Africa, more daily newspapers were sold in 1975 than in 1985. This study attempts to analyse the crisis facing the present day daily press, with a more pertinent emphasis on the daily press in South Africa. Several factors that gave rise to the said crisis are identified and expounded on. This was done from the supposition that there are certain factors threatening the function, content and structure of the daily press. In the first instance,"the study is based on the uses and gratification theory, and secondly, on the agenda-setting theory. For the purposes of this dissertation these two theories are combined and used as such. The factors identified as having a profound influence on the daily press are inter alia: alienation and resistance, information overload, the emergence of a vibrant local press and free sheets, the electronic media, and the pertinent financial aspects...
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uj/uj:4373 |
| Date | 18 March 2014 |
| Creators | Kruger, Rosa Thelma |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | University of Johannesburg |
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