Seventh Blog Entry

Introduction

This blog entry shall outline the methodology, literature review and the research assumptions of the problem identified in the sixth blog entry.

1 Methodology
The focus and perspective of this research is to understand the role of the media in the post-apartheid South Africa. This research shall make use of the press or print media to analyse the situations that have been identified as having arose between the press and the ruling party. The past point of view is that; there has in most instances been a tension between the ANC and how the print media (press) reports about it. Several court battles have been identified, that give a clear indication that; the ANC has not been completely at peace with the press. It is a possible future phenomenon that may arise if the role of the media in the post-apartheid South Africa is not deeply understood.

Ellis & Levy (2008) indicate that; “although not directly related to the research problem, the methodology, results, and conclusions of a study are directly impacted by the problem driving the research. They further indicate that; according to Leedy & Ormrod (2005); a research methodology is defined as “the general approach the researcher takes in carrying out the research project”.  Research methods that could be used in this study are; descriptive (case study); textual analysis or qualitative methods. For the purpose of this study a descriptive (case study) method analysis of the problem under investigation may best be utilised to answer this problem. According to Wimmer & Dominick (2006); “Case studies are conducted when a researcher needs to understand or explain a phenomenon.” They further explain that Yin (1994) defines a case study as an empirical inquiry that uses multiple sources of evidence to investigate a contemporary phenomenon within its real-life context, in which the boundaries between the phenomenon and its context are not clearly evident.” In relation to the problem under investigation a case study would be a best method to be followed as a set of sources of evidence relating to the relationship between the press and the ANC shall be compiled in order to determine the state of such a relationship. The evidence shall base much on a case study compiled from the news articles that involves the ANC and then press.

2 Literature Review

Fourie (2007:185) establishes that; “politicians frequently accuse the media of misinterpreting them, of framing them, of lying, of wrongfully criticising them, and of not doing what they wish the media to do or achieve.” This argument goes well with the problem which this study attempts to understand. Theories that are helpful in answering the problem statement under investigation are theories on; the role and functions of the media in society. Applying these theories provide this research with a chance to deal much on the functions of the media, particularity on the political functions of the media. The case studies on the press and its roles on politics as indicated in the background discussions provide a volume of evidence of the phenomenon under investigation.

While this study uses the case study methodology; previous studies on the same problem has applied different methodological approaches. For an example in a 2010 study by Fiona White on the “Positioning Civil Society Post-Polokwane: Coming to Terms with ANC Political Leadership Changes”, the following was applied in terms of the methodological approach. White (2010) establishes that; “this project is a qualitative study that uses three methods of data collection. First, a comprehensive literature review and desk-based analysis was conducted to generate background information in the following key areas: general definitions of civil society and other key terms; the definition and characteristics of civil society in a South African context; the relationship between civil society and the ANC after 1994; an overview of the ANC, the SACP and COSATU, and their relationships during the past three decades.”

It is clear that while this study employs the case study methodological approach it has been done alternatively on the previous research on the same problem. But however the method chose for this study still best fits to answer the problem under investigation given the plethora of theories and case studies concerning the press and ANC tensions.

 3 Research assumptions

 

 This research intends, in terms of the results, to show that;

·         The media (press) has its obligation towards its reporting

·         The press does not have intentions of portraying the ANC (government) in a bad way.

·         The press have a duty to fulfil to society

·         The ANC is not a target of the press

·         All parties are reported about in the same manner

List of sources

Ellis, TJ & Levy, Y. 2008. Framework of problem-based research: a guide for novice researchers on the development of a research-worthy problem. Information Science: the journal of an emerging transdiscipline. 11: 17-33.

Fourie, PJ(ed). 2007. Media studies: media history, media and society. 2nd edition. Cape Town: Juta.

Wimmer, RD & Dominick, JR. 2006. Mass media research: an introduction. 8th edition. Wadsworth: Cengage.

White, F. 2010. Positioning Civil Society Post-Polokwane: Coming to Terms with ANC Political Leadership Changes. Johannesburg: Centre for policy studies. [O] Available: http://www.cps.org.za/cps%20pdf/RR124.pdf