COM2604

,# 2007 University of South Africa


All rights reserved

Printed and published by the
University of South Africa
Muckleneuk, Pretoria

COM2059/1/2008±2012

98140272

3b2




COM 2 Style

,Contents
Introduction (vi)


Study Unit 1: A South African media map (the history of the South
African media) 1


Study Unit 2: The media in Africa 2

2.1 Introduction 2
2.2 The media in Africa: the colonial period 3
2.3 The media in Africa: the post-colonial period 4
2.4 African media in the age of globalisation 8
2.5 Conclusion 10


Study Unit 3: Approaches to the study of mass communication 11
3.1 Introduction 11
3.2 Mass communication cultures 13
3.3 Perspectives on mass communication 13
3.4 What is theory? 15
3.5 Theoretical approaches to and research on mass communication 18
3.6 The positivist approach 18
3.7 The critical approach 21
3.8 Mass/popular culture criticism 23
3.9 Ideology 23
3.10 Feminist media studies 25
3.11 Meaning production theory 25
3.12 Technological determinism 26
(iii)

, Contents


3.13 The information society approach 27
3.14 Key post-structuralist/post-modern thinkers 27
3.15 Post-colonial theory and the Afro-centric approach 28
3.16 Conclusion 28
3.17 Additional activities 28


Study Unit 4: The role and functions of the media 31
4.1 Introduction 31
4.2 What is functionalism? 32
4.3 Wright's model of functions 34
4.4 The political functions of the media: the case of pluralism 37
4.5 Normative theory 38
4.6 Rethinking normative theory 39
4.7 Revisiting normative media theory in South Africa 40
4.8 The entertainment function 41
4.9 Conclusion 42
4.10 Additional activities 42


Study Unit 5: The effects of mass communication (effect
studies) 44
5.1 Introduction 44
5.2 How are media effects categorised? 47
5.3 What theories are used to understand media effects? 54
5.3.1 Short-term theories 54
5.3.2 Long-term (or cognitive) theories 55
5.4 Stereotyping 56
5.4.1 What is a stereotype? 57
5.4.2 What are the characteristics of stereotypes? 61
5.4.3 What is the origin of stereotypes? 61
5.4.4 How can stereotypes be changed? 62
5.5 A cautionary note about effect theories and research 63
5.6 Conclusion 63


Study Unit 6: Media and culture and the ideological power of the
media 64
6.1 Introduction 64
6.1.1 What are the important issues? 65
6.2 Definitions of and differences between high, mass and popular culture 66
6.3 A historical background 68
6.4 The cultural studies approach 70
6.5 Theoretical assumptions of cultural studies 70
6.5.1 Definition of ideology 70
6.5.2 Ideology in media texts 71
6.5.3 Ideology and social order 79
6.5.4 Theories of ideology 80
6.5.4.1 Neutral theory of ideology 80
6.5.4.2 Critical theories of ideology 81
6.6 Hegemony and hegemonic forces 83
(iv)