COM3702 Assignment 1 (COMPLETE ANSWERS) Semester 2 2025 (814563) - DUE 1 September 2025

Introduction Begin your assignment by giving a short introduction. Explain what this assignment is about and mention that you will be answering all three main questions. Make sure your introduction links to the topics discussed in the next sections. Media Management Write at least two full typed pages with 1.5 line spacing. Start by explaining how a media manager should look at both the inside and outside of the organisation when doing an environmental analysis. This includes looking at strengths and weaknesses (inside the company) and opportunities and threats (outside the company). Introduction Give a short introduction that explains the aim of your assignment and what the reader can expect. Media Policy and Regulation Internal and External Media Regulation In your own words, explain what internal and external regulation mean. Show that you understand the difference by giving one example of each from your favourite daily newspaper. Read the 2016 draft of the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill to answer the questions below. Attach the cover page of the Bill as an addendum. Give a short summary of what the Bill is about. Say whether you think it is an example of internal or external regulation, and explain why. Use the guidelines in Tutorial Letter CMNALLE/301 to correctly cite government documents. Share your understanding of what freedom of expression means and where its limits are. Then, explain whether you think social media should be regulated in the same way as traditional media like radio, TV and newspapers. Support your answer with examples from the Bill. Also refer to at least two academic sources in addition to the prescribed textbook and study guide. Representation Understanding Representation Choose an advertisement that includes both pictures and text. Use it to answer the following questions about semiotics and representation based on what you read in your prescribed book. Make sure you give real examples from the ad and reference all your sources using Tutorial Letter CMNALLE/301. Define what representation means and use examples from the ad to show your understanding. Explain the idea of semiotics and how signs can be shown in images and text. Give two examples of visual signs in your chosen ad. Give two examples of text-based signs in your ad. Explain Roland Barthes’s idea of myth and give examples of myths found in your ad. Define what anchorage is and give an example from your ad that shows how text supports the meaning of the image. Conclusion Write a short conclusion that sums up what you have discussed in your assignment. Self-Assessment and Reflection Attach a separate page where you answer these questions: What did you learn from doing this assignment? What skills or attitudes have you developed? Which of your strengths will help you in your future studies or job? What weaknesses do you still need to work on? How well did you meet the learning outcomes for each study unit? Be specific about which outcomes you achieved. Explain what strategic media management means and why it is important. Show how doing a SWOT analysis helps the organisation to succeed by matching what it can do well internally with what is happening outside in the market. In your explanation, include the following: Describe how internal and external assessments are different from each other. Explain what SWOT stands for and describe each part: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Explain what it means to have a strategic fit. Show how the inside and outside situations must align for the organisation to perform well. Media and Communications Market Use real-life examples from the South African media environment or from your own country. Write at least two typed pages with 1.5 line spacing. Define what media concentration means and describe how it works. In your discussion, include the following points: Talk about how media competition relates to media concentration. List and explain the four different types of media concentration. Introduction Give a short introduction that explains the aim of your assignment and what the reader can expect. Media Policy and Regulation Internal and External Media Regulation In your own words, explain what internal and external regulation mean. Show that you understand the difference by giving one example of each from your favourite daily newspaper. Read the 2016 draft of the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill to answer the questions below. Attach the cover page of the Bill as an addendum. Give a short summary of what the Bill is about. Say whether you think it is an example of internal or external regulation, and explain why. Use the guidelines in Tutorial Letter CMNALLE/301 to correctly cite government documents. Share your understanding of what freedom of expression means and where its limits are. Then, explain whether you think social media should be regulated in the same way as traditional media like radio, TV and newspapers. Support your answer with examples from the Bill. Also refer to at least two academic sources in addition to the prescribed textbook and study guide. Representation Understanding Representation Choose an advertisement that includes both pictures and text. Use it to answer the following questions about semiotics and representation based on what you read in your prescribed book. Make sure you give real examples from the ad and reference all your sources using Tutorial Letter CMNALLE/301. Define what representation means and use examples from the ad to show your understanding. Explain the idea of semiotics and how signs can be shown in images and text. Give two examples of visual signs in your chosen ad. Give two examples of text-based signs in your ad. Explain Roland Barthes’s idea of myth and give examples of myths found in your ad. Define what anchorage is and give an example from your ad that shows how text supports the meaning of the image. Conclusion Write a short conclusion that sums up what you have discussed in your assignment. Self-Assessment and Reflection Attach a separate page where you answer these questions: What did you learn from doing this assignment? What skills or attitudes have you developed? Which of your strengths will help you in your future studies or job? What weaknesses do you still need to work on? How well did you meet the learning outcomes for each study unit? Be specific about which outcomes you achieved. News as Representation Read the story about the Open Chats Podcast that went viral on TikTok and caused public outrage. You will find details of the story in the scenario provided. Use this podcast story or select a related news article (online or printed) that talks about the same incident. Attach your chosen news article to your assignment as an addendum. If you do not attach the article, you will lose 50% of the marks for this section. Answer the following based on your chosen article: Write a short summary of the article in your own words. Explain how the journalist used the traditional 5 W’s and H in the article. Give examples from the article that show: Who is involved What happened Why it happened Where it took place When it occurred How it happened Define the four news values listed below. For each one, explain what it means and how it is shown in your news article. Give examples from the article to support your answer: Intensity or threshold Cultural proximity or relevance Unexpectedness Composition Introduction Give a short introduction that explains the aim of your assignment and what the reader can expect. Media Policy and Regulation Internal and External Media Regulation In your own words, explain what internal and external regulation mean. Show that you understand the difference by giving one example of each from your favourite daily newspaper. Read the 2016 draft of the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill to answer the questions below. Attach the cover page of the Bill as an addendum. Give a short summary of what the Bill is about. Say whether you think it is an example of internal or external regulation, and explain why. Use the guidelines in Tutorial Letter CMNALLE/301 to correctly cite government documents. Share your understanding of what freedom of expression means and where its limits are. Then, explain whether you think social media should be regulated in the same way as traditional media like radio, TV and newspapers. Support your answer with examples from the Bill. Also refer to at least two academic sources in addition to the prescribed textbook and study guide. Representation Understanding Representation Choose an advertisement that includes both pictures and text. Use it to answer the following questions about semiotics and representation based on what you read in your prescribed book. Make sure you give real examples from the ad and reference all your sources using Tutorial Letter CMNALLE/301. Define what representation means and use examples from the ad to show your understanding. Explain the idea of semiotics and how signs can be shown in images and text. Give two examples of visual signs in your chosen ad. Give two examples of text-based signs in your ad. Explain Roland Barthes’s idea of myth and give examples of myths found in your ad. Define what anchorage is and give an example from your ad that shows how text supports the meaning of the image. Introduction Begin your assignment by giving a short introduction. Explain what this assignment is about and mention that you will be answering all three main questions. Make sure your introduction links to the topics discussed in the next sections. Media Management Write at least two full typed pages with 1.5 line spacing. Start by explaining how a media manager should look at both the inside and outside of the organisation when doing an environmental analysis. This includes looking at strengths and weaknesses (inside the company) and opportunities and threats (outside the company). Explain what strategic media management means and why it is important. Show how doing a SWOT analysis helps the organisation to succeed by matching what it can do well internally with what is happening outside in the market. In your explanation, include the following: Describe how internal and external assessments are different from each other. Explain what SWOT stands for and describe each part: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Explain what it means to have a strategic fit. Show how the inside and outside situations must align for the organisation to perform well. Media and Communications Market Use real-life examples from the South African media environment or from your own country. Write at least two typed pages with 1.5 line spacing. Define what media concentration means and describe how it works. In your discussion, include the following points: Talk about how media competition relates to media concentration. List and explain the four different types of media concentration. News as Representation Read the story about the Open Chats Podcast that went viral on TikTok and caused public outrage. You will find details of the story in the scenario provided. Use this podcast story or select a related news article (online or printed) that talks about the same incident. Attach your chosen news article to your assignment as an addendum. If you do not attach the article, you will lose 50% of the marks for this section. Answer the following based on your chosen article: Write a short summary of the article in your own words. Explain how the journalist used the traditional 5 W’s and H in the article. Give examples from the article that show: Who is involved What happened Why it happened Where it took place When it occurred How it happened Define the four news values listed below. For each one, explain what it means and how it is shown in your news article. Give examples from the article to support your answer: Intensity or threshold Cultural proximity or relevance Unexpectedness Composition Conclusion Write a short conclusion that sums up what you have discussed in your assignment. Self-Assessment and Reflection Attach a separate page where you answer these questions: What did you learn from doing this assignment? What skills or attitudes have you developed? Which of your strengths will help you in your future studies or job? What weaknesses do you still need to work on? How well did you meet the learning outcomes for each study unit? Be specific about which outcomes you achieved.