COM3702 Assignment 1 Semester 1 | Due 24 March 2025

COM3702 Assignment 1 Semester 1 | Due 24 March 2025. All questions answered. 1. INTRODUCTION [5 marks: 125 words] Introduce the assignment referring to both questions 2 and 3. 2 REPRESENTATION 2.1 News as representation [30 marks: 600 - 725 words] After the United States withdrew financing for an anti-HIV initiative, antiretroviral therapy for around 5.5 million South Africans may be interrupted. Concerns about HIV patients skipping medication, an increase in infection rates, and ultimately a surge in fatalities have been raised by US President Donald Trump's worldwide foreign assistance halt, which has affected millions of patients in South Africa. More than 7.5 million individuals in South Africa are afflicted with the AIDS virus, more than any other country. Following Trump's suspension of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, financing for the 5.5 million South Africans getting antiretroviral therapy is again under scrutiny. The United Nations AIDS agency estimates that since its launch in 2003, PEPFAR has saved at least 26 million lives worldwide. Adapted from a variety of on-line newspaper articles. Select your own online or printed news story from a newspaper that covers the withdrawal of financing for HIV and PEPFAR by the US. You will need to acknowledge the news article in the text and in the list of sources consulted. Also, attach the news story as an addendum. Based on the story selected, answer the following questions: 2.1.1 Define “news values” in your own words. Thereafter, indicate the 5 W’s and 1 H with examples of the news story selected. (10 marks: 250 words) 2.1.2 Discuss the concept of gatekeeping and indicate what types of gatekeepers were involved / or could have been involved in the news story that you selected. (5 marks: 125 words) 2.1.3 Define and differentiate between “agenda-setting” and “framing”. Give examples from the news story you selected to demonstrate your understanding of agenda-setting and framing. (5 marks: 125 words) 2.1.4 In not more than one typed page argue with examples from the selected news story by giving your own opinion about the withdrawal of financing for HIV and PEPFAR by the US. (10 marks: 250 words) 3 MEDIA AND RACE [25 marks: 600 - 725 words] With the help of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), a SABC employee named Nobuntu Mkhize may have to come before the Equality Court after being caught on camera reportedly using racial language and assaulting cabin personnel on a Flysafair trip. Adapted from on-line newspaper articles. Select your OWN online or printed news story from a newspaper that covers the incident on Flysafair. You will need to acknowledge the online/printed news story in the text and in the list of sources consulted. Also, attach the news story as an addendum. Based on the story selected, answer the following questions: 3.2.1 Discuss in your own words what you understand by the term “racism” and then provide a summary of the racial incident that you have selected. Your summary should state the news media in which the incident was reported, when the incident was reported, who the perpetrator(s) was, what position of power the perpetrator held, which social media the perpetrator used (if any) and any other details that may assist your marker to relate to the incident. (5 marks: 125 words) 3.2.2 Substantiate why the selected online newspaper article considered the incident as racist. Identify and critically discuss the form of racist ideology that is represented in the selected item. (5 marks: 125 words) 3.2.3 Provide an argument of whether videos used to spread the story have given rise to racist incidents or just mirror/reflect what is already happening in society. Use at least two (2) academic sources to support your argument (this excludes the prescribed book and study guide). (5 marks: 125 words) 3.2.4 In not more than one typed page argue with examples from the selected news story by giving your own opinion about the Flysafair incident. (10 marks: 250 words) 4. CONCLUSION [5 marks: 125 words] Give a conclusion to both questions 2 and 3. SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SELF-REFLECTION [5 marks: 125 words] Attach the addendum, in which you answer the following questions: ● What have you learnt (what knowledge have you gained) by completing the assignment task? ● What skills, abilities and orientations (attitudes and values) have you acquired? ● Which strengths could you apply in your future life and work environments? ● Which shortcomings do you need to address in future? ● To what extent have you achieved the learning outcomes formulated for each study unit? Specify the learning outcomes you have achieved. TECHNICAL PRESENTATION [5] Refer to Tutorial Letter CMNALLE/301/2025 for guidelines on the technical presentation of your assignments. For example, ensure that you have met the criteria in Addendum A. Subtotal: 75 TOTAL: 75 X 1.34 = 100