Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study determines whether media reporting has any influence on members’ image
formation processes of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC). The aim of this study was (a) to
determine respondents’ attitudes towards the Church, (b) to determine respondents’ image
of the Church, (c) to establish whether media reporting has any influence on members’
image formation of the DRC, and (d) to define such influence, if any.
This study is based on the Integrated Communication Model for Image Formation and
Projection (the IFP model) as theoretical foundation. The IFP model suggests that certain
document design aspects, such as content, style, structure and graphics, may influence a
company or organisation’s image. Following on the IFP model this study determined the
effect that rhetorical content devices in media reports have on DRC members’ image of the
Church. The rhetorical devices that were analysed are direct criticism, contrast, laden words,
implication phenomena, sarcasm and insinuation. The study investigated how these
rhetorical devices are employed to have a harmful effect on the image of the DRC.
A total of 127 respondents, all of them DRC members, were selected from four
congregations in the Boland region. The congregations are situated in Worcester (rural),
Malmesbury (semi-rural), Paarl (semi-urban) and Durbanville (urban). Gender and age were
incorporated as independent variables of this study.
Members’ attitude and image with regard to the DRC and media reporting were determined
by means of a questionnaire survey as primary methodology, while the possible influence of
media reporting was established through a text analysis (rhetorical discourse analysis, or
RDA) – another primary methodology. Professor Martin Kidd from Stellenbosch University’s
Centre for Statistical Consultation prepared the statistical processing of the survey
responses. The results are depicted by means of histograms and other statistical methods.
The results show that members’ attitudes towards, and image of, the Church are less
positive than what the Church may have hoped for: Members generally have a cautiously
positive image of the Church. In addition, results indicate that media reporting does indeed
influence the image formation processes of the DRC; that this influence is negative, and that it contributes to a less positive image of the Church. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie bepaal of mediaberiggewing enige invloed op die beeldvormingsprosesse van
individue van die Nederduitse Gereformeerde (NG) Kerk het. Die doel van die ondersoek
was (a) om respondente se houding teenoor die Kerk te bepaal, (b) om respondente se
beeld van die NG Kerk te bepaal, (c) om vas te stel of mediaberiggewing enige invloed op
lidmate se beeldvormingsprosesse van die NG Kerk het, en (d) om sodanige invloed, indien
enige, te omskryf.
Die Geïntegreerde Kommunikasiemodel vir Beeldvorming en -projeksie, oftewel die IFPmodel
(“Integrated Communication Model for Image Formation and Projection”), is die
teoretiese model waarbinne die studie uitgevoer sal word. Die IFP-model beweer dat sekere
dokumentontwerpaspekte, soos inhoud, styl, struktuur en grafika, ʼn instansie se beeld kan
beïnvloed. Na aanleiding hiervan het dié studie dus die uitwerking van inhoudelike retoriese
meganismes in mediaberigte op NG Kerk-lidmate se beeld van die Kerk bepaal. Die retoriese
meganismes wat ontleed is, is direkte kritiek, kontras, gelade woorde, implikasieverskynsels,
sarkasme en insinuasie. Daar is ondersoek ingestel na hoe hierdie retoriese meganismes
aangewend word om die beeld van die NG Kerk negatief te beïnvloed.
Altesaam 127 respondente, almal NG Kerk-lidmate, is uit vier gemeentes in die Bolandomgewing
gekies. Die gemeentes is geleë in Worcester (platteland), Malmesbury
(semiplatteland), in die Paarl (semistad) en Durbanville (stad). Geslag en ouderdom is as
onafhanklike veranderlikes in aanmerking geneem.
Lidmate se houding en beeld ten opsigte van die NG Kerk en mediaberiggewing is deur
middel van ʼn vraelysondersoek as primêre metodologie bepaal, terwyl die moontlike
invloed van die mediaberigte met behulp van ʼn teksanalise (retoriese diskoersanalise, of
RDA) – nóg ʼn primêre metodologie – ontleed is. Prof Martin Kidd van die Universiteit
Stellenbosch se Sentrum vir Statistiese Konsultasie het die vraelysantwoorde statisties
verwerk. Die uitslag word met histogramme en ander statistiese metodes uitgebeeld.
Die resultate toon dat lidmate se houding jeens, en beeld van, die Kerk minder positief is as
wat die Kerk dalk hoop: Lidmate het in die algemeen ʼn versigtig positiewe beeld van die
Kerk. Resultate suggereer voorts dat mediaberiggewing wél die beeldvormingsprosesse van die NG Kerk beïnvloed; dat sodanige invloed negatief is, en dat dit gevolglik tot ʼn minder
positiewe beeld van die Kerk onder lidmate bydra.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/19955 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Smith, Elna |
| Contributors | De Stadler, L. G., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Afrikaans and Dutch. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | af_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 267 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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