COM3706 Communication
Research
Examination Portfolio: Semester 2
2024
, COM3706 Examination Portfolio
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................... 2
2. RESEARCH PROBLEM STATEMENT .................................................................................................... 2
3. SUBPROBLEMS ........................................................................................................................................ 3
4. LITERATURE REVIEW .............................................................................................................................. 3
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................... 3
Portrayal of Political Figures................................................................................................................... 3
Coverage of Political Parties ................................................................................................................................... 4
Ministers and Government Officials ................................................................................................................... 4
5. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ................................................................................................................ 4
CORE CONCEPTS OF AGENDA SETTING ............................................................................................................. 4
6. RESEARCH DESIGN ................................................................................................................................. 5
CHARACTERISTICS OF Q UALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGNS ................................................. 5
Qualitative Research Design: ................................................................................................................. 5
Quantitative Research Design: ............................................................................................................................... 5
Process of Data Collection ................................................................................................................................. 6
The population of the study ........................................................................................................................... 6
7. PRESENTATION AND INTERPRETATION OF FINDINGS ................................................................... 7
7.1 – 7.4 T HE LEADING POLITICAL STORIES IN THE (MAIL & GUARDIAN) FROM THE (14TH OF JUNE 2024 TO
THE 18TH OF JULY 2024) .................................................................................................................................. 7
7.1 – 7.4 The angle taken in presenting political stories in the (Mail & Guardian) ........................ 8
7.1 – 7.4 The use of images within the (name of the newspaper) to convey the message. ............................... 8
7.1 – 7.4 The space occupied by political stories in the (Mail & Guardian) in relation to other themes ........ 8
8 DISCUSSION OF THE FINDINGS .......................................................................................................... 10
9 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY ............................................................................................................... 10
10 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS ............................................................................................................ 10
11 CONCLUSION ...................................................................................................................................... 10
SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SELF-REFLECTION .......................................................................................... 11
ADDENDUMS .................................................................................................................................................... 14
1|P a ge
, COM3706 Examination Portfolio
Topic: A content analysis study to investigate how The Mail & Guardian covers
political stories in South Africa.
1. INTRODUCTION
The Mail & Guardian is a South African weekly tabloid style newspaper and
website that was founded in 1985. It is known for its comprehensive coverage of
political analysis, investigative journalism and news from Southern Africa. The
newspaper provides daily news updates, multimedia content and engage in
storytelling through its online platform. Their coverage extends to local,
international and African news, with a particular emphasis on hard-hitting political
reporting, investigations and beat reporting in areas such as the economy,
environment and courts.
The purpose of this research is to investigate how The Mail & Guardian covers
Political Stories in South Africa. The succeeding chapters will unravel the
background, literature review, the research design and methodology, problems
statement, research objectives and the value of the study as well as the potential
limitations.
2. RESEARCH PROBLEM STATEMENT
Political stories are often portrayed in the media (newspapers) as soap-operas and
provokes strong feelings in the reader. There have also been instances of partiality
in the print media in the past and is something that still continues to plague
newspapers today. This study aims to analyse how The Mail & Guardian portrays
political stories in South Africa. This aim will be realized by conducting a content
analysis study using five different issues of The Mail & Guardian newspaper to
investigate (through both qualitative and quantitative methods) how newspapers
cover political stories in South Africa. This will be carried out over the span of five
weeks (cross-sectional study).
2|P a ge
Research
Examination Portfolio: Semester 2
2024
, COM3706 Examination Portfolio
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................... 2
2. RESEARCH PROBLEM STATEMENT .................................................................................................... 2
3. SUBPROBLEMS ........................................................................................................................................ 3
4. LITERATURE REVIEW .............................................................................................................................. 3
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................... 3
Portrayal of Political Figures................................................................................................................... 3
Coverage of Political Parties ................................................................................................................................... 4
Ministers and Government Officials ................................................................................................................... 4
5. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ................................................................................................................ 4
CORE CONCEPTS OF AGENDA SETTING ............................................................................................................. 4
6. RESEARCH DESIGN ................................................................................................................................. 5
CHARACTERISTICS OF Q UALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGNS ................................................. 5
Qualitative Research Design: ................................................................................................................. 5
Quantitative Research Design: ............................................................................................................................... 5
Process of Data Collection ................................................................................................................................. 6
The population of the study ........................................................................................................................... 6
7. PRESENTATION AND INTERPRETATION OF FINDINGS ................................................................... 7
7.1 – 7.4 T HE LEADING POLITICAL STORIES IN THE (MAIL & GUARDIAN) FROM THE (14TH OF JUNE 2024 TO
THE 18TH OF JULY 2024) .................................................................................................................................. 7
7.1 – 7.4 The angle taken in presenting political stories in the (Mail & Guardian) ........................ 8
7.1 – 7.4 The use of images within the (name of the newspaper) to convey the message. ............................... 8
7.1 – 7.4 The space occupied by political stories in the (Mail & Guardian) in relation to other themes ........ 8
8 DISCUSSION OF THE FINDINGS .......................................................................................................... 10
9 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY ............................................................................................................... 10
10 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS ............................................................................................................ 10
11 CONCLUSION ...................................................................................................................................... 10
SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SELF-REFLECTION .......................................................................................... 11
ADDENDUMS .................................................................................................................................................... 14
1|P a ge
, COM3706 Examination Portfolio
Topic: A content analysis study to investigate how The Mail & Guardian covers
political stories in South Africa.
1. INTRODUCTION
The Mail & Guardian is a South African weekly tabloid style newspaper and
website that was founded in 1985. It is known for its comprehensive coverage of
political analysis, investigative journalism and news from Southern Africa. The
newspaper provides daily news updates, multimedia content and engage in
storytelling through its online platform. Their coverage extends to local,
international and African news, with a particular emphasis on hard-hitting political
reporting, investigations and beat reporting in areas such as the economy,
environment and courts.
The purpose of this research is to investigate how The Mail & Guardian covers
Political Stories in South Africa. The succeeding chapters will unravel the
background, literature review, the research design and methodology, problems
statement, research objectives and the value of the study as well as the potential
limitations.
2. RESEARCH PROBLEM STATEMENT
Political stories are often portrayed in the media (newspapers) as soap-operas and
provokes strong feelings in the reader. There have also been instances of partiality
in the print media in the past and is something that still continues to plague
newspapers today. This study aims to analyse how The Mail & Guardian portrays
political stories in South Africa. This aim will be realized by conducting a content
analysis study using five different issues of The Mail & Guardian newspaper to
investigate (through both qualitative and quantitative methods) how newspapers
cover political stories in South Africa. This will be carried out over the span of five
weeks (cross-sectional study).
2|P a ge
