COM3706
ASSIGNMENT 1
DUE DATE: MARCH 2025
,Table of Contents
Introduction
1.1 Background and Context
1.2 Research Problem Statement
1.3 Research Subproblems
Literature Review
2.1 Social Media and Radio Audience Engagement
2.2 Content Themes and Engagement
Theoretical Framework
3.1 Network Society Theory
3.2 Key Concepts of Network Society Theory
Research Design and Methodology
4.1 Research Approach (Mixed-Methods)
4.2 Data Collection
4.3 Population and Sampling
4.4 Data Analysis
Conclusion
References
Addendum
, 1.1 Introduction
In a world where digital platforms are key to communication, public radio stations, like
SABC Radio in South Africa, must find ways to stay relevant and connect with their
audiences. This study looks at how SABC Radio uses Facebook, a platform with over 3
billion users worldwide, to engage with listeners. As radio changes to meet new media
habits, social media has become an important tool for reaching more people,
encouraging interaction, and fulfilling public service goals.
The goal of this research is to analyze SABC Radio’s Facebook page by looking at its
last 50 posts (from January to March 2024) to find out how they engage their audience.
This includes looking at the type of content shared (like news or community projects),
how the audience reacts (likes, comments, shares), and the style of language used
(formal, funny, emotional) to connect with followers. The study will use both qualitative
and quantitative methods to understand how SABC Radio works in today’s networked
society, where audience participation shapes the media.
This proposal will start by explaining the research problem and its subproblems, then
review past studies on how radio and social media come together. The study is based
on Network Society Theory (Castells, 2000), which looks at how digital networks change
how audiences interact. The methods section will describe the research approach, how
data will be collected, and how it will be analyzed.
ASSIGNMENT 1
DUE DATE: MARCH 2025
,Table of Contents
Introduction
1.1 Background and Context
1.2 Research Problem Statement
1.3 Research Subproblems
Literature Review
2.1 Social Media and Radio Audience Engagement
2.2 Content Themes and Engagement
Theoretical Framework
3.1 Network Society Theory
3.2 Key Concepts of Network Society Theory
Research Design and Methodology
4.1 Research Approach (Mixed-Methods)
4.2 Data Collection
4.3 Population and Sampling
4.4 Data Analysis
Conclusion
References
Addendum
, 1.1 Introduction
In a world where digital platforms are key to communication, public radio stations, like
SABC Radio in South Africa, must find ways to stay relevant and connect with their
audiences. This study looks at how SABC Radio uses Facebook, a platform with over 3
billion users worldwide, to engage with listeners. As radio changes to meet new media
habits, social media has become an important tool for reaching more people,
encouraging interaction, and fulfilling public service goals.
The goal of this research is to analyze SABC Radio’s Facebook page by looking at its
last 50 posts (from January to March 2024) to find out how they engage their audience.
This includes looking at the type of content shared (like news or community projects),
how the audience reacts (likes, comments, shares), and the style of language used
(formal, funny, emotional) to connect with followers. The study will use both qualitative
and quantitative methods to understand how SABC Radio works in today’s networked
society, where audience participation shapes the media.
This proposal will start by explaining the research problem and its subproblems, then
review past studies on how radio and social media come together. The study is based
on Network Society Theory (Castells, 2000), which looks at how digital networks change
how audiences interact. The methods section will describe the research approach, how
data will be collected, and how it will be analyzed.
