Masters Degrees (Communication Science)

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Open Access
A rhetorical analysis of South African presidents' state of the nation addresses post-1994
(University of the Free State, 2024) Nkosi, Robson Siphosihle; du Plessis, R.; Breshears, D.
In South Africa, a State of the Nation Address (SONA) is considered an important speech in the nation’s political calendar. As notable and consequential as the SONA is, it remains a limitedly explored research avenue, especially from a dramatistic criticism point of view. This dramatistic criticism study was conducted to bridge this gap by unveiling and developing an in-depth understanding of the underlying motive behind each democratically elected South African President’s first State of the Nation Addresses post-apartheid. The study employed a pentadic analysis approach owed to Kenneth Burke (Cholid et al., 2019) to analyse a corpus of four purposively selected State of the Nation Addresses. The findings suggested the pentadic element Scene as the motive behind all the analysed State of the Nation Addresses. However, the label for the pentadic element Scene slightly varied across the four SONA speeches. Consequently, the study concludes that the underlying motive behind each democratically elected South African President’s first State of the Nation Address was to induce cooperation of the SONA audiences in addressing the sociopolitical and economic challenges of the state post-apartheid.
Open Access
Communication as a stakeholder relationship-building factor in contributing to the success of small businesses in townships
(University of the Free State, 2023) Ntsongelwa, Avela; Breshears, Diana
The townships in Gqeberha are characterised by crime, poverty, and unemployment. Small businesses can address these challenges by providing employment opportunities, which in turn can help alleviate poverty and crime. Despite these challenges, there are small business owners and/or managers who see opportunities for their businesses in the township, as well as the importance of stakeholder relationships for businesses. The purpose of this study was to explore owners' and/or managers' views on the importance of effective communication and the role it plays in building positive stakeholder relationships, which in turn contribute to successful small businesses. The research questions focused on who small business owners and/or managers regard as their stakeholders, how small business owners and/or managers view communication with their stakeholders, what they regard as positive stakeholder relationships, and their experiences of running a small business. Data were collected through interviews and qualitatively analysed. The results showed that engaging with stakeholders contributes to forming positive stakeholder relationships, which help the organisation achieve its end goals.
Open Access
Communication through musical symbols: a comparative study of selected piano pieces by Frédéric Chopin
(University of the Free State, 2019) Bezuidenhout, Daniel Hanno; Krige, D.; De Villiers, A. M. F.
𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉 Communication is omnipresent and semiotic in nature. Within communication, a message is typically sent through a channel by means of a system of symbols, which is verbal and/or nonverbal in nature. Music is a communication channel, which can, unlike spoken language, communicate across language barriers. During the communicating of the message, the musical symbols within the music score function as a unit. For various reasons, publishers make modifications to music scores. This study aimed to investigate the impact that modifications have on the communicated message. Additionally, a more holistic understanding of communication phenomena within the context of music was obtained and the importance of selecting the appropriate edition demonstrated. This is achieved by analysing four nocturnes by the Romantic composer Frédéric Chopin to investigate meaning modifications within different editions of the same piano compositions. To achieve this, quantitative analyses were conducted to identify any modifications within the sample. This was followed by a qualitative semiotic analysis of each composition. There is shown in this study that the most frequent modifications are made to phrase markings, dynamic symbols, articulation symbols, and pedal markings. In addition, it was found that changes were made to some of the notes and/or rests used within certain compositions. These changes have an impact on the communicated message of each composition in the sense of changing the emotion and atmosphere, and hence the communicated message. The findings of this study highlight the importance of considering the implications of making changes to an original score and choosing the most appropriate edition for a performance. ___________________________________________________________________
Open Access
The representation of black women in magazine advertisements in 1994 and 2006: A comparative study
(University of the Free State, 2011) Lombard, Elbie; Mulder, D.
𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉 Living the lives of second-class citizens has long been the reality of women in South Africa; so much more so for black women. The history of South Africa is a divided one, a history stained by division and suppression; a history written and determined by a few white men. The reality created for women by these men was a reality of hardship, a reality of exclusion, of being less human than white men. Black women suffered under sexism (from both white and black men), racism (from both white men and women), and c1assism (due to being excluded from the economy). When feminism became popular in South Africa, the assumption was that black women would be interested in the ideals that feminism stands for, but that was not the case: Black women suffered more under racism than under sexism and for that reason it made sense not to revolt against black men, but rather to join the struggle against apartheid. Feminism was also seen as an ideology created by white women for white women and that it did not accommodate the unique reality of black women. Oliver Tambo supported black women joining the struggle and instructed their husbands to help with household chores to allow them free time for activism. After 1994, the emancipation of women became a priority in South Africa and President Nelson Mandela appointed women in key positions in government, and also in his cabinet. In his Inaugural Speech on 10 May 1994, he famously said that true liberation could not be achieved unless women are empowered, and thanks to his commitment, a third of parliamentarians and cabinet ministers then were women. The representation of women in parliament increased after the 2009 elections from 34% to 43%. Furthermore, women empowerment is one of the Millennium Development Goals. Today, women are still a priority of the South African government and in September 2010, during the ruling party's conference, Minister Angie Motshekga proclaimed that ensuring equal opportunities for women is still a national priority. The truth is that a number of black women are enjoying their newfound status and are reaping the benefits of these policies aimed at favouring them: A study by the Unilever Institute of Strategic Marketing at the University of Cape Town found that the most confident individuals in South Africa are young black urban women. Black women, who are now in a better socio-economic position due to the political changes in South Africa, have significant purchasing power and are not afraid to use that power. The majority of these women have bought into the consumer culture, and thus enjoy reading magazines - which is one of the many products of popular culture. Magazines generate the bulk of their income from advertisements and a large part of a magazine's content is made up of advertisements. Many people enjoy relaxing with their favourite popular magazine, reading the articles, the letters to the editor, the advertisements, and more. Most people do not take popular magazines seriously, and do not think that advertisements in these magazines can have any effect on them. They do not take note of the fact that print media like newspapers and magazines are high involvement media. They are not watchful or vigilant, and because of that, the messages and images in magazines and magazine advertisements can slip into their subconscious where it can ferment, thus influencing their thoughts and behaviour. If one views advertisements as a reflection of reality, then one would expect that the current South African reality should be represented in them. Yes, we do see more advertisements in which interracial friendships are portrayed; yes, we do see many black female models in advertisements endorsing all kinds of products. The concern is, in which roles and in what ways are they represented? Are they falling victim to the same old stereotypical manner in which white women are portrayed? Or - if advertisements are realistic - do we see the most confident group in South Africa being portrayed as self-assured, as empowered, as free from oppressive stereotypes? The aim of this study was to determine in which ways black women are portrayed in South African general interest as well as women's magazine advertisements in 1994 and 2006, and to compare the results of the two year groups in order to reach conclusions. The representation of black women in South African magazine advertisements was examined within the critical paradigm, and more specifically, feminist studies. A total of 641 advertisements selected according to certain criteria were analysed and described. These advertisements were categorised according to product categories and the role portrayals identified. The advertisements were then sorted by making use of Goffman's six rubrics that he developed and used during the writing of Gender Advertisements (1987). The results revealed that the number of magazine advertisements increased from 1994 to 2006, and that the number of advertisements for hedonic goods increased. Furthermore, women were portrayed more often in non-working roles than working roles and the decorative role, which is a non-working role, was represented in the majority of advertisements. In addition, the majority of advertisements showed women in poses of subordination, and as mentally drifting from the scene, which are in direct opposition to the empowerment agenda of the South African government. It can be concluded that the improvement of the socio-economic status of a large number of black women since 1994 was not yet reflected in magazine advertisements in 2006. For an advertisement to be successful it must resonate with the target market - put differently, black women must see themselves portrayed realistically in advertisements, and not only portrayed as subordinated objects. Besides, we imitate what we see in the media; we model our behaviour according to the representations in the media. Therefore, it is important that black girls see realistic role models in advertisements, leading empowered lives, so that they rather could strive to be like them and not become mere stereotyped objects. Also, young men should see realistic images of confident women so that they can realise that women are equal to men and not less human than themselves. The primary recommendation of this study is that the advertising industry should take note of the fact that the representation of black women is not a reflection of reality. This aspect should be addressed as it might have a negative impact on the brands that the advertisements represent, as well as on the emancipation of women (specifically black women) that the South African government so actively pursues. Visual literacy should also become more prominent in our society. It could be taught at school and at tertiary institutions to all South African students. We are bombarded by media images, thus people should be empowered to understand these images so that they can protect themselves.
Open Access
An analysis of the traditions of communication theory in Ian Mcewan's atonement
(University of the Free State, 2017-01) Bezuidenhout, Jolandi; Krige, D.
English: The discipline of communication science is delineated by an intellectual smorgasbord of theoretical perspectives, principles, and assumptions about the communication phenomenon, which originated from interdisciplinary fields such as rhetoric, philosophy, psychology, sociology, semiotics, and many others. The multidisciplinary history of communication theories makes it difficult to establish a coherent, integrated canon of theory. Craig (1999), drawing on historical strands of theoretical thought, classified the complex intellectual heritage of communication theory into seven traditions. Although this constitutive metamodel of the seven traditions of communication theory enables holistic reflection and meta-discourse about communication theories, the complex and abstract characteristics of these seven traditions often remain incomprehensible to communication science scholars. This study analysed the contemporary novel, Atonement, by Ian McEwan, for evidence of the seven communication traditions and the manner in which these traditions are illustrated in the narrative. The purpose of this research is to indicate that modern fiction can be used to make the practical application and comprehension of the multidisciplinary principles and assumptions of the seven communication traditions easier. In order to achieve this aim, this study employed a qualitative research methodology and a two-fold research design. An initial literature study aided the construction of a prior coding framework used during the content analysis to identify textual evidence of the characteristics of each of the seven communication traditions. The results provided evidence of all seven traditions in Atonement and illustrated the characteristics of the traditions through examples that resemble real-life communication situations and behaviour. This study demonstrated its premise that a contemporary novel like Atonement is an accessible medium for the practical illustration and comprehension of abstract communication theories and traditions.
Open Access
Communication indicators for integrating diverse cultures in junior female residences at the University of the Free State
(University of the Free State, 2011-05) De Lange, Lucrezea; Mulder, D.
In spite of the fact that the University of the Free State (UFS) has been recognised as a leader in the transformation process in South African higher education, an area of great concern at this institution was the integration of the junior residences. A new policy for increasing diversity in residences was implemented, but three years into the process the residences were still not fully integrated. Although several aspects could have contributed to the fact that the residence integration was only partially successful, this study focussed on the important role of communication during this change intervention. Five research questions were addressed. Firstly, the meta-analytical research question explained what the racial integration process in the junior female residences entailed. The contextual research question explored the dimensions of a contemporary organisation impacted by change, and the conceptual research question, explored the fundamental components of change management communication within a contemporary organisational context. The ideal manner in which to communicate change in a contemporary organisational context was addressed by the normative research question, and finally, the theoretical research question addressed the issue of which theoretical communication framework could be suggested to provide indicators for more effective communication during the integration process. The primary objective of this study was to recommend a theoretical communication framework with indicators that can contribute towards more effective communication during the process of communicating change in the junior female residences at the UFS. The role and quality of the communication used during the management of this change intervention was therefore explored. Considering the aim of this study, a qualitative approach and grounded theory strategy was used in the research design and the philosophical foundation underlying this study is constructivism. Data gathering was done by in-depth interviews and focus group sessions. Validity of the study was enhanced through respondent validation. As the grand theory of this study is based on the general systems theory approach; the Mitroff model (Mitroff et al. 1974) of problem solving was applied. The main theoretical domains relevant to the study are the contemporary organisation and change management communication. As a holistic perspective is deemed essential in order for an organisation to change successfully, the four different dimensions of a contemporary organisation impacted by change were explored. The importance of organisational culture and fact that changing the culture of an organisation should be the first step during a change intervention were highlighted. The essential place of the learning organisation in which constant development of employees are encouraged in order for organisations to survive and adapt in an ever changing environment was emphasised. As the learning organisation can constantly repositioning itself and adapt to changing situations, it. was suggested that for the successful implementation of change at different organisational levels, communication activities should be integrated. The central role of the manager, the important role of leadership communication, the engaging of employees and the sensemaking role of managers, as well as the fact that listening to employees should be regarded as an action step critical to successful change implementation, was discussed. Another important factor often overlooked during change interventions, but playing a critical role during the implementation of change, namely the human factor was also discussed at the micro-emotional level. It was evident from the data that serious communication problems and a lack of communication existed between different departments, as well as between management and residence management staff. Subsequently the need for a communication framework with indicators was confirmed. Six main themes surfaced from the data collected. Three of these themes were perceived as being more prominent, namely the role of communication, the management of change, and the consultative intervention. The conclusions to the study led to the identification of five areas of importance that form the pillars of the communication framework. These are the process and procedures to follow, the people to engage and the principles and policies to guide the process. Within each of the above mentioned categories indicators were identified that can contribute towards more effective communication during the process of change in the junior female residences at the UFS.
Open Access
Die plek en rol van skakelwerk aan die Universiteit van die Oranje-Vrystaat
(University of the Free State, 1977-12) Reinecke, Philippus Jacobus; Herbst, D. A. S.
Afrikaans: In hierdie studie is in ontleding onderneem van die plek en rol van skakelwerk aan die UOVS. Dit is in analitiese studie wat gegrond is op primêre bronne asook sekondêre bronne wat as bylaes aangeheg is. In hoofstuk I is die uitgangspunt gestel oor wat skakelwerk is en behels. Die element van voorligting, wat wesentlik in skakelwerk is, is gestel teenoor inligting en behandel as oorredingskommunikasie. In hoofstuk II is die plek van skakelwerk in In organisasie gestel. Die opkoms van skakelwerk in die bedryf en die noodsaaklikheid van 'n skakelafdeling of -beampte is gestel. Vervolgens is die opkoms van skakelwerk aan universiteite, veral in die VSA, dan kortliks gestel. In hoofstuk III is die noodsaaklikste beginsels van In skakelprogram ontleed aan die hand van beplannings-, toepassings- en evalueringsfases. In die daaropvolgende hoofstuk is die beginsels wat in hoofstuk III gestel is deurgetrek tot skakelwerk aan In universiteit. In hoofstuk V is 'n ontleding gedoen van die Buro vir Ontwikkeling en Openbare Betrekkinge van die UOVS. 'n Uiteensetting van die plek van die afdeling in die beleidshiërargie is gegee asook van die rol wat die vervul t.o.v. bv. beeldbou en skolevoorligting. In die slothoofstuk is sekere bevindinge en aanbevelinge gedoen. Aanbevelinge is t.ov. aanpassinge by moderne praktyke, vaartbelyning en die status van die Buro gedoen. So word 'n naamsverandering voorgestel. Die studie beklemtoon die noodsaaklikheid van 'n georganiseerde Buro vir skakeldienste -- 'n afdeling wat vir die UOVS van onskatbare waarde is.
Open Access
An analysis of the traditions of communication theory in Ian Mcewan's atonement
(University of the Free State, 2017-01) Bezuidenhout, Jolandi; Krige, D.
English: The discipline of communication science is delineated by an intellectual smorgasbord of theoretical perspectives, principles, and assumptions about the communication phenomenon, which originated from interdisciplinary fields such as rhetoric, philosophy, psychology, sociology, semiotics, and many others. The multidisciplinary history of communication theories makes it difficult to establish a coherent, integrated canon of theory. Craig (1999), drawing on historical strands of theoretical thought, classified the complex intellectual heritage of communication theory into seven traditions. Although this constitutive metamodel of the seven traditions of communication theory enables holistic reflection and meta-discourse about communication theories, the complex and abstract characteristics of these seven traditions often remain incomprehensible to communication science scholars. This study analysed the contemporary novel, Atonement, by Ian McEwan, for evidence of the seven communication traditions and the manner in which these traditions are illustrated in the narrative. The purpose of this research is to indicate that modern fiction can be used to make the practical application and comprehension of the multidisciplinary principles and assumptions of the seven communication traditions easier. In order to achieve this aim, this study employed a qualitative research methodology and a two-fold research design. An initial literature study aided the construction of a prior coding framework used during the content analysis to identify textual evidence of the characteristics of each of the seven communication traditions. The results provided evidence of all seven traditions in Atonement and illustrated the characteristics of the traditions through examples that resemble real-life communication situations and behaviour. This study demonstrated its premise that a contemporary novel like Atonement is an accessible medium for the practical illustration and comprehension of abstract communication theories and traditions.
Open Access
The influence of lecturers' verbal and non-verbal immediacy behaviour on perceived affective and cognitive learning
(University of the Free State, 2004-01) Terblanche, Lydie; Terblanche, F. H.
The results indicated that the impact of the perceived immediacy operated differently for the two groups, although they should be interpreted with some degree of caution. There were significant relationships for the whole test group between learners' perceptions of lecturers' immediacy behaviour and learning. The verbal total score, the non-verbal total score, the immediacy total score as well as the majority of individual items showed significant relationships with learners' cognitive as well as affective learning. Verbal items, especially item 17 (Praises learners' work, behaviour or comments), showed a high correlation with the different learning variables (cognitive and affective). Regarding non-verbal items, item 23 in particular (Speaks in a monotonous or boring voice when he/she lectures) showed a high correlation with the different learning variables (cognitive and affective). The relationships between the verbal total scores and cognitive learning (simple learning and learning loss) variables were statistically significant for both Germanic and African learners. The correlations between the non-verbal total scores and the cognitive learning (simple learning and learning loss) variables were statistically significant for Germanic learners, but were not statistically significant in the African learners' group. Furthermore, the relationships between the immediacy total scores and the cognitive learning (simple learning and learning loss) variables were statistically significant for Germanic as well as African learners. Regarding the correlation between the verbal items and cognitive learning (learning and learning loss), numerous items were statistically significant for Germanic learners, while only some items showed such a relationship for African learners. In terms of the relationships between non-verbal items and cognitive learning (learning and learning loss), various items also showed a statistically significant relationship for Germanic learners, while only one item (item 32 - in simple learning) showed a significant relationship for African learners. The relationship between the non-verbal total scores and simple learning differed significantly between the two groups. The relationship between the non-verbal total score and learning loss also differed significantly between the two groups. The Germanic learners repeatedly showed a significantly higher relationship than that of the African learners. It was obvious that the relationship between the verbal item 4 (Uses humour in class) and simple learning differed significantly for the two groups and that the relationship between the same item and learning loss also differed significantly for the two groups. The Germanic learners showed a significantly higher relationship in comparison with African learners. The relationship between the non-verbal item 34 (Uses a variety of vocal expressions when he/she talks to the class) and simple learning differed significantly for the two groups. The relationship between the same item and learning loss also differed significantly between the two groups. The Germanic learners once again showed a significantly higher relationship in comparison with the African learners. The relationships between the verbal total scores and affective learning (attitude, behavioural intent and total affect) variables, as well as the relationships between the non-verbal total scores and affective learning variables, were statistically significant for Germanic learners, while these relationships were not statistically significant in the African learners' group. In contrast to cognitive learning, the relationship between the immediacy total scores in affective learning (attitude, behavioural intent and total affect) variables were only significant for Germanic learners. Concerning the correlation between the verbal items and affective learning (attitude, behavioural intent and total affect), many of the items showed a statistically significant relationship for Germanic learners, while only some items showed such a relationship for African learners. The same tendency occurred in terms of the correlation between the non-verbal items and affective learning (attitude, behavioural intent and total affect). The relationship between the verbal total scores and all three affective learning variables (attitude, behavioural intent and total affect) differed significantly for the two groups. The relationship between the immediacy total score and all three of the affective learning variables also differed significantly for the two groups. Again it was the Germanic learners who repeatedly showed a significantly higher relationship than that of the African learners. The relationships between numerous verbal items and all three affective learning variables differed significantly in the two groups. The verbal items in question were: item 4 (Uses humour in class) item 5 (Addresses learners by their names) item 6 (Addresses me by my name) item 11 (Gives feedback on my individual work by means of commenting on question papers, oral discussion, etc.) item 20 (Is addressed by his/her first name by the class) Germanic learners showed a significantly higher relationship in all these items when compared with African learners. The relationship between the non-verbal item 34 (Uses a variety of vocal expressions when he/she talks to the class) and all three affective learning variables differed significantly for the two groups. The Germanic learners once again showed a significantly higher relationship in comparison with the African learners. The most important differences between the two population groups exist mainly between the verbal items and the three affective learning variables. The significant relationships between lecturers' immediacy behaviour and learning (cognitive and affective) were present mainly for the Germanic learners, and only some of the immediacy items showed significant relationships with learning (cognitive and affective) variables for African learners. Pertaining to the size of effects, it can be observed that all the statistically significant coefficients showed a medium to large effect, which indicates that the findings have an average to large practical value. Differences occurred in means on two variables (item 6 and item 32) between African and Germanic learners. Noteworthy differences in terms of total scores on the immediacy of learning variables did not occur. Regarding item 6 (Addresses me by my name), the Germanic learners showed a higher mean in comparison with African learners. Both averages, however, showed that this form of lecturer behaviour occurs seldom or occasionally. Relating to item 32 (Has a very relaxed body posture when he/she is lecturing), the African learners showed a higher mean compared with Germanic learners. Both averages showed that this form of lecturer behaviour occurs fairly regularly. Even though the results indicated that the impact of perceived immediacy operated differently for the two groups (possibly due to the fact that cultures differ in terms of what they expect regarding other individuals' behaviour), this study indicates a significantly positive correlation between immediacy behaviour and cognitive, affective and behavioural learning. The research findings further prove that, in connection with the effect of immediacy behaviour on learning, both verbal and non-verbal immediacy behaviour are vital dimensions of effective instructional strategies for the promotion of affective and cognitive learning. In conclusion, the verbal and non-verbal immediacy behaviour of lecturers whose home language is Afrikaans or English contributes positively to the affective and cognitive learning of learners whose home language is Afrikaans, English, or one of the African languages. Ultimately, the immediacy behaviour displayed by English or Afrikaans lecturers functions differently for learners whose home language is one of the African languages, than for those whose home language is Afrikaans or English. The results of this study, in conjunction with the results of previous work on immediacy, indicate that teacher/instructor/lecturer immediacy has a significant influence on the learner-instructor/lecturer relationship. Moreover, the results of this study, combined with those of Fayer, Gorham and McCroskey (1988), Collier (1988) and Sanders and Wiseman (1990), indicate that the specific role of lecturer immediacy on learner outcomes was mediated, to some degree, by culture. As South African classrooms grow more culturally diverse, communication scientists should redouble their efforts in this promising area of research.
Open Access
Perceptiveness of U.F.S. students towards racial messages in newspapars
(University of the Free State, 2002-03) Snyman, Carina Francis; Pepler, E.; Breytenbach, H. J.
In 1998, the Human Rights Commission (HRC) received a request from two professional bodies, The Black Lawyers Association (BLA) and the Association of Black Accountants of South Africa (ABASA), to investigate two newspapers. The BLA and ABABSA claimed that The Star and The Mail & Guardian were allegedly guilty of racism. The HRC consequently appointed two research authorities, Claudia Braude (qualitative content analysis) and The Media Monitoring Project (quantitative content analysis), to investigate these allegations. Several newspaper editors and journalism institutes questioned these findings. According to them, the research was "considerably weakened by the absence of research into media consumers" (HRC report, 1999). They based their arguments on the premises that the research focused primarily on the content of the respective newspapers, and not on the interpretation of the readers/audience of the papers. In the final section of the report, the HRC concluded that "the media can be characterised as racist institutions" (HRC report, 1999). By not considering the opinion of the media receivers, the HRC report failed to make a credible and valid impact. An investigation on the audience's interpretation of these racist messages was called for. The population sample of the study was drawn from students between the ages of 18 and 25; the future readers and interpreters of newspaper messages. The sample included a variety of nationalities in order to determine to what extent race plays a role in the interpretation of the mass media messages. The content of three newspapers (Mail & Guardian, The Citizen and The Star) was analyzed over a period of a nine weeks based on the same guidelines determined by the MMP report (i.e. quantitative content analysis categories). Newspaper items were analyzed by monitoring items in which race was explicitly stated and implicit to the content. Once the content analysis was completed, examples of specific newspaper articles, which have been selected on their racist content, were supplied to the respondents. After reading the items, the respondents were asked to complete a questionnaire based on the selected newspaper articles. An exploration of the media as an institution and the interpretation of the respondents on the other side of the spectrum provided a relative holistic encapsulation of racism in the media The data gathered from the survey indicated a statistical significant difference between the responses of the White and the Black respondents. Although all the items presented to the respondents contained implicit or explicit racist messages, the respondents did not perceive these newspaper items as racist.
Open Access
The role of music selection in the decline of KovsieFM's listenership
(University of the Free State, 2016-07) Van Niekerk, Gert Abraham; Linström, Margaret
English: In August 2012, KovsieFM’s listenership was estimated at 60 000 listeners for the period March to June 2012. Less than two years later, in June 2014, KovsieFM’s listenership was measured at 9 000 listeners for the period January to May 2014. These figures indicate that the radio station’s listenership decreased by 85% over a period of 18 months. This significant decline in KovsieFM’s listenership was examined considering the fact that music radio has the potential to attract large numbers of young listeners. According to the radio station’s broadcasting license requirements, 80% of the broadcasting content must consist of music. The music content was therefore be the first port of call when investigating a decline in listenership. The primary research objective of this study was to investigate the role that music selection played in the 85% decrease in KovsieFM’s listenership figures between August 2012 and June 2014. The secondary research objectives of this study included determining what the current perception of KovsieFM is among students of the University of the Free State, what the perception of students of the University of the Free State is of the music currently selected for airplay by KovsieFM and to determine what other factors could have contributed to the decrease in KovsieFM’s listenership. The study used the gatekeeper model, the uses and gratifications model and the media dependency theory as the theoretical framework. This study used a mixed-method approach to investigate the research problem. Auditorium Music Testing (AMT) represented phase one of the data collection process. Thereafter focus group research represented phase two with the aim of assisting in interpreting the results from phase one. The concentration of the focus groups was wider than the AMT, but was primarily focussed on other on-air as well as off-air aspects of KovsieFM. The data obtained from the AMT sessions was analysed by means of three methods: Firstly, Pearson product moment correlations investigated if a correlation exists between the respondents’ listening habits their corresponding rating of the songs on a 5-point Likert scale. Secondly t-tests was used to investigate if there are differences in the music rating between respondents who frequently listen to KovsieFM and respondents who infrequently listen to KovsieFM. Thirdly, frequency distribution tables were used to summarise the respondents’ favourite music genre and methods of music consumption. The data obtained from the focus groups were transcribed and a computerassisted semantical content analysis was utilised. The content analysis was based on the examination of recurrent instances that are systematically identified across the data set and grouped together by a coding set. This study concluded that music was a definite factor that contributed to the decline in the KovsieFM listenership between August 2012 and June 2014. The other factors that contributed to the decline in listenership were the content KovsieFM broadcasted and the manner in which the presenters and newsreaders presented the content. This study has shown that the content KovsieFM broadcast focused on entertaining the target audience. It can be concluded that UFS students also rely on the station to broadcast local content that is relevant to them. KovsieFM, as with many community radio stations, does little to no audience research and therefore assumes that music and broadcasting content appeals and satisfies the needs of the community. It is therefore important that radio stations in a similar position conducts audience research on a regular basis. This is especially relevant for campus-based radio stations, where the listenership base changes as students join and leave the university every year.
Open Access
The development of an Integrated Communication (IC) audit framework for a decentralized business enterprise
(University of the Free State, 2016) Van Baalen, Annette; Mulder, D.
English: Integrated Communication (IC) seems the ideal solution to engage in meaningful conversation with various stakeholder groups. Through the implementation of this strategy, companies can use two-way communication to ensure that the demands and expectations that both internal and external stakeholders have towards the company are met. This approach to stakeholder communication also increases stakeholder loyalty, as all the actions of the company are integrated to create a holistic view of the core values that differentiate the company from competitors. Unfortunately, the implementation of IC poses a great challenge to companies. Amongst these challenges are issues such as the complex structure of communication channels available to communicate with stakeholders and the lack of the necessary soft skills to engage in meaningful conversation with the identified stakeholders. This has left companies to perceive IC as an unreachable ideal. Over and above the mentioned challenges, one of the biggest is that no instrument is available that enables a company to determine whether the efforts made to pursue IC have reached full potential. Without a proper evaluation tool that encapsulates the essence of IC, companies will continue to get a distorted perception of what IC offers and might never discover its true potential. To provide a possible solution to the identified problem, five research questions were developed. The first research question was set from a conceptual perspective and was based on determining the basic constructs of IC to further an understanding of the essence of this approach. This was followed by the meta-analytical research question that emphasises the operational dimensions companies need to include in an instrument to evaluate IC efforts. Furthermore, a theoretical research question explored the possibility of existing models and theories that might support the development of an IC audit framework. Finally, a question developed from a normative research perception enabled the researcher to explore the ideal manner through which the feasibility of an evaluation instrument for IC could be implemented. These questions all culminated in the main research question to address the possibility of a company being able to determine whether all communication efforts are integrated. Based on the research questions, a primary objective and three secondary objectives were identified. The primary objective for this study was to develop an IC audit framework that companies can use to determine whether its communication efforts are truly integrated. This aim gave rise to three secondary objectives, which were addressed through three separate research phases. The first secondary research objective focused on determining the scope of IC through the analysis of the conceptual foundation that shapes the concept. This was done by means of a conceptual analysis of IC and it formed the first phase of the research. By using the data provided through the conceptual analysis, the scope of IC was developed, which not only included the domains in which IC should be implemented, but also highlighted constructs such as characteristics, drivers and rules that needed to be addressed during implementation. With this scope, the researcher was able to gain a clear understanding of the main concerns of implementing IC. During the second phase of the research, the data from the conceptual analysis of IC enabled the researcher to have an in-depth focus on the main constructs of the concept that companies need to be aware of. However, as the theoretical research question addressed the possibility of how existing models and theories could contribute to an IC evaluation instrument, another objective was set that focused on this issue. This objective set the challenge of discussing, analysing and comparing various prevailing models and theories of IC that could be shaped into auditing criteria. This research objective was achieved using a literature review. While analysing and comparing the different models, the researcher identified Kitchen and Schultz’s (2000) 8-step model of IC implementation as an appropriate foundational structure for the IC audit. After slight alterations to the steps suggested by Kitchen and Schultz (2000) had been made, an IC audit framework was developed that focused on the mentioned constructs identified through the conceptual analysis. The third secondary objective set for the study addressed the normative research question namely, what the ideal manner would be to test the IC audit framework. This objective was dedicated to ensuring that the implementation of the conceptual IC audit framework was tested with regard to its feasibility in practice. To test the feasibility of the framework, it was presented to the managing staff of a decentralised company, Central Media. The data necessary to reach this objective were collected by means of focus-group interviews and analysed. During the focus-group interviews with the respondents from the decentralised company, the steps of the conceptual IC audit framework were presented. Respondents were then granted the opportunity to provide feedback to shape the final IC audit framework. Respondent validation was then employed to ascertain whether the input provided by the respondents had been interpreted correctly. This process formed part of the third and final research phase. After the final secondary objective had been addressed, the data from the three different phases were combined to develop a final presentation of each step of the IC audit framework. The three research phases culminated in a 9-step IC auditing instrument. The execution of this study led to a binary set of contributions. First, the proposed IC audit framework can assist companies to determine whether they are indeed following an integrated approach to all their communication activities. Furthermore, this instrument can also be used to plan, prepare and develop an integrated communication strategy for a company. Ultimately, this study also strives to enhance the status of communication in the industry by showing the advantages of an effective IC approach that organisational communication can bring.
Open Access
The uses and gratifications of music, by personality type, of a central South African radio station's audience
(Department of Communication Science, University of the Free State, 2013) Kotzee, Rozanne; Breytenbach, H. J.
While music is the main product of many radio stations, this study seeks to gain insight into the music preferences of a central South African radio station’s audience. The study into the personality psychology of music has remained mainly mute. Various questions remain regarding individual differences and different uses of music, as well as individual differences and music preference (Rentfrow & Gosling 2003). By examining the patterns of music use and the relationship between music use and audiences’ psychographic profiles, and by employing the Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI) and the Uses of Music Inventory (UMI), this study might contribute to the development of a more efficient model in the construction of a radio station’s music content and diversity.
Open Access
Lokale realisme in speelprente van Raro en Carfo: 'n inhoudsontleding
(University of the Free State, 1988-12) Wheeler, Philippus Ferdinand; Basson, A. F.
A survey of the literature showed that a group of Afrikaners, from about 1938, strifed to create Afrikaans films which would be cultural products of the Afrikaner. Their motivation was to combat the cultural imperialism of the imported Hollywood films and to take control of Afrikaans film production. The literature shows that up to 1938, Afrikaans film production was dominated by outsiders - people who were not part of the Afrikaner nation. To attain this goal then, this group of Afrikaners organised themselves in the Volksrolprentbond in 1939, then disbanded and regrouped in 1940 in the Reddingsdaadbond-Amateurrolprentorganisasie (Raro). Eventually, however, it was a group of Afrikaans clergymen from the Dutch Reformed Church, with a few former members of the defunct Raro, who founded the Christelike Afrikaanse Rolprent en Fotografiese Organisasie (Carfo) in 1947. Carfo made fourteen feature films. The research in this study was aimed at the description of a local realist tendency among Afrikaans feature films. It eventually focussed on these fourteen films. The literature study indicated that four general elements of style manifested itself in Carfo's feature films. The first, the adaptation of Afrikaanse novels, was a well established fact. The content analysis was therefore aimed to test for the three remaining elements of style, that is: propaganda, Afrikaner locality and realism. feature films of Carfo were tested. Christian All fourteen The result was a confirmation of the indications of the literature study: the feature films of Carfo constitute a Christian local realist tendency in the Afrikaans film industry. It is an identifiable religious genre, embedded in the Afrikaner's culture.
Open Access
Konsensus in kommunikasie
(University of the Free State, 1977-01) Groenewald, Hendrik Johannes; Herbst, D. A. S.
Abstract not available
Open Access
Die rol van die plaaslike koerant in sy gemeenskap, met spesifieke verwysing na Die Noordelike Stem
(University of the Free State, 1983-12) Hugo, Ilza Francis; Marais, H. C.; De Beer, A. S.
Abstract not available
Open Access
Die problematiek van tyd en ruimte as verhalende elemente van die speelfilm
(University of the Free State, 1983) Van der Waldt, De la Rey; Puth, G.; De Beer, A. S.
English: The purpose of this study is to identify and explore the problems surrounding time and space as narrative elements of the narrative film. Theorists differ in their views on cinematic tenses. Some claim there is only one speci= fic time - the time the viewers perceive the events as they are taking place !!now" before their eyes. Others classify time in "true!! and cinematic time with a past, present and future tense. For the purpose of this study the allocation of space is the perceiving of different places and not physical space. The question now arises: how does the director link the different images, shots, sequences and scenes together without any discontinuity and within the limited time? Due to the fact that the interpersonal, subjective and un= conscious-cognitive nature of film perception makes the testing of time and space difficult, the methodology used in this study is Van Leent's depth dimension. The result of this inquiry is that there exists no gol= den rule on film editing at present but that there is room for improvement in the application of film techniques so that better continuity in the story is created. The director must know his medium and the destination of his message. Finally, a number of proposals were put forward on how to improve the cinematic technique of story-telling in order to make the message more perceptible to the audience.
Open Access
The uses and gratifications of music, by personality type, of a central South African radio station's audience
(University of the Free State, 2012-11) Kotzee, Rozanne; Breytenbach, H. J.
Various methods of communication exist and the understanding of the subtle differences in each form of communication may aid the compassing of this complex process. An example of one such method is music. At any given moment, worldwide, in restaurants, homes, offices, vehicles, night clubs, etc. people are listening to music. Music surrounds us, whether our listening to the radio, being put on-hold during a telephone call or going about day-to-day activities. Music has become a significant part of our lives – a ubiquitous social phenomenon and is the centre of various social activities, like concerts, where people gather to listen to and talk about music. Even in social gatherings where music is not the primary focus, for example weddings, it is an essential component – imagine a wedding without music (Rentfrow and Gosling 2003: 1236-1237). Radio stations may be regarded as some of the largest users of music as a method of communication. Wimmer and Dominick (2006:361) indicate that music is the main product of many radio stations and is of utmost importance for their economic sustainability. Furthermore, the audiences of radio stations – thus the receivers of the communication – also play an important role in the communication process employing music specifically as a method of communication. It may, therefore, be valuable to gain insight into the music preferences of a radio station’s audience. As music is mostly the main product of a radio station, it is of cardinal importance to be able to identify the music preferred by the audience of that particular radio station. The audience figures for commercial radio stations are directly related to the radio station’s advertising income (Wimmer and Dominick 2006:361). Despite the prevalence of music in our lives, the study into the personality psychology of music has remained mainly mute. Various questions remain regarding the individual differences and different uses of music, as well as individual differences and music preference choices. It is a given fact that people differ from one another. Precisely how and why they differ is less apparent and forms the focus of personality or individual differences research in the social science and, in particular, psychology (Rentfrow and Gosling 2003). It has been identified that there is currently a lack of knowledge and research specifically related to the relationship between personality traits, the uses and gratifications of music and the music preferences of radio audiences. The aim of this study will be to investigate the possible development of a predictive measurement tool in order to predict the music and genre preference for different psychographic groups of respondents who represent the audience of a central South African radio station, as well as their uses and gratifications of the music. Examining the patterns of music use and the relationship between music use and psychographic profiles, by employing the Ten- Item Personality Inventory (TIPI) and the Uses of Music Inventory (UMI), may contribute to the development of a more efficient model in the construction of a radio station’s music content and diversity. However, it should be noted that this will, by no means, be an exhaustive study into neither the exact influences on music preference nor the patterns of music use amongst the audience of this radio station.
Open Access
Narratiewe kommunikasie as retoriese strategie in die prediking van die Bloemfonteinse Apostoliese Geloofsending
(University of the Free State, 2011-05) Lotter, Marésa; Marais, W.; De Wet, J. C.
English: Human beings are susceptible to the rhetorical power of narrative communication. Narrative communication is an organisational element that helps people to make sense of the world they live in. Rhetoric is the application of reason to imagination to bring the human will into movement. In the world of religious communication, especially communication within the Christian philosophy, narrative communication is used as a rhetorical strategy regularly. The Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) is the oldest and biggest Pentecostal church in South Africa. The primary aim of the study was to analyse the use of narrative communication as rhetorical strategy within the preaching of the traditional Afrikaans-speaking Apostolic Faith Mission congregations in Bloemfontein. The research question is how narrative communication manifests as a rhetorical strategy in the preaching of the traditional Afrikaans-speaking Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) congregations in Bloemfontein. Secondary aims of the study were to measure the frequency of narrative communication as rhetorical strategy in the preaching of the Apostolic Faith Mission in Bloemfontein; to determine which narrative story elements and style elements are used; and to determine whether there is a difference in the application of narrative communication during the morning services and the evening services. Twelve sermons, three morning sermons and three evening sermons of two pastors of different congregations, were analysed by overt observation and content analysis. Video recordings were made of all the sermons in order for the researcher to go through all of the sermons again to verify the results. Content analysis was the primary research strategy during this study. During the church services, the researcher fulfilled the observer-as-participant role. There are different elements to qualify and identify a text as “narrative”. These elements are called “story elements”, seeing that they usually form part of a story. Storyline, narrative location and experience narrative are examples of story elements. If the communicator wants to capture the imagination of the audience and if he wants to get them emotionally involved in the message, he must pay attention to the style of the communication action. The communication action can be seen as narrative if these style elements are applied, even if there is not a complete story present. These narrative style elements include certain language elements and non-verbal elements. The unit of analysis for this study was the narrative story elements and style elements that were found in die twelve sermons. These elements were identified in the literature study. The categories of analysis were the story elements and the style elements. For the sake of this study, it was said that narrative communication was applied as a rhetorical strategy in a sermon when 50% of the identified narrative story elements or 50% of the identified narrative style elements were found within that sermon. This sub-minimum was met in every analysed sermon and thus it can be said that narrative communication was applied as rhetorical strategy during every sermon. Introduction, causal relations, protagonist and narrative location are the narrative story elements that were used most frequently. The use of humour, the use of metaphors and the self revelation of the storyteller are the style elements that were used most frequently. Narrative style elements were used more frequently than narrative story elements. The only difference between the use of narrative communication in the morning services and in the evening services was that narrative style elements were used more frequently during the morning services than during the evening services. The pastors‟ knowledge about the use of narrative communication during preaching was limited. However, the literature study showed that narrative communication can be applied as a rhetorical strategy during preaching with great success. Thus, the construction of a narrative model for preaching in the AFM, and in other denominations, could be useful.
Open Access
The Lesotho National Manpower Development Secretariat in the stakeholder century: an integrated marketing communication approach
(University of the Free State, 2009-11) Nchaka, Malefetsane; Mulder, D.
Stakeholders are not passive, but have a huge impact on the functioning of organisations. The fierce competition amongst companies to win stakeholders’ interest and loyalty poses a challenge to organisations to seek the means of strengthening long-term relationships with their stakeholders. The Lesotho National Manpower Development Secretariat (NMDS) is a government department that, like any other organisation, has to take note of the challenges of the stakeholder century. The relationship between the NMDS and its stakeholders has been unfavourable. Regardless the cause, the situation affirms the impression that the NMDS is failing to feature in the stakeholder century. The aim of this study is to provide guidelines to improve the relationship between the NMDS and its stakeholders. The aim will be achieved through a discussion of the environment in which stakeholder relationships are pursued. A reflection on the stakeholder concept and an exploration of the marketing communication activities that the NMDS embark on to establish relationships with its stakeholders will be highlighted. The stated goal will be achieved through the combination of qualitative and quantitative research approaches. The grounded theory will be used to address the qualitative section, whilst in the quantitative section a survey research strategy will be employed. Firstly, the analysis revealed that the NMDS’ mission and brand are not well-known among stakeholders. It was further extrapolated that communication between top management and the employees of the NMDS was poor. It is also apparent that the organisation’s ability to communicate with its stakeholders using various techniques has been very poor. Furthermore it became clear that there is absolutely no message consistency within the organisation. The causes thereof were poor internal communication, employees lacking knowledge of their work, absence of policies and differences in perception. Stakeholders further lamented the discrimination prevalent within the NMDS, particularly during the scholarship renewal period. It was revealed that nepotism, favoritism, corruption and administrative irregularities are the major causes. The NMDS employees’ motivation is under suspicion. Suggestions such as increased remuneration, training and counseling were put forward as possible correctional measures of the status quo. The NMDS’ stakeholders suggested that information dissemination at the NMDS could be improved through using different media, use of word of mouth, and empowering the public relations office. It is imperative to mention that the challenges which faced the stakeholder of the NMDS were information inaccessibility, employees’ inefficiency and a total lack of stakeholder consciousness. The results of the study revealed that the NMDS’ interaction with its stakeholders can be enhanced through involving stakeholders on issues affecting them, using various marketing communication techniques, and training staff on stakeholder care. Finally, the use of ICT has been rated by stakeholders as being very low at the NMDS. Utilising ICT may be of great assistance in improving the relations between the organisation and its stakeholders. In the next chapter the conclusions drawn from the research findings of this study, together with the recommendations, will be presented. It is anticipated that this study will provide a theoretical framework for the NMDS to improve its marketing communication activities to improve its relationship with its stakeholders. Improved relationships will lead to improved service standards, which in turn will make stakeholders true assets of the NMDS.