| dc.description.abstract | This treatise deals with the conciliatory role that the three Klerksdorp
newspapers, Wes-Transvaal Rekord, Lentswe and the Klerksdorpse Rekord,
played in the year before the general elections of April 27th, 1994 in South
Africa. This conciliatory role has been determined with the use of elements
from normative models for developmental and civic journalism. Two
theoretical positions have been formulated, based on these two models.
From this it appears that developmental journalism is all about encouraging
tolerance, about nation building and about the strengthening of desirable
relations. Civic journalism consists of giving insight in the structures of society,
encouraging of commitment, guide-dog function (along with the role of
watchdog), stimulation of civic consultation and the bringing to pass of
reconciliation.
By means of these features a qualitative analysis has been made of the
content of the three newspapers in the period between May 1993 and April
1994. From this it appeared clearly that the newspapers desired to play a
conciliatory role. The emphasis was laid on nation building, on encouraging
tolerance and on reconciliation. The conciliatory role of the newspapers has
been affirmed by six interviewees who played an important role in the
preparations for the 1994 general elections in Klerksdorp and surroundings.
It has also been determined that the editorial staffs of the three newspapers
consciously chose to play this conciliatory role. This not only appeared from
the content of the newspapers, but also from editorials and from the answers
of the above-mentioned interviewees. The three newspapers served different
readerships and were distinct in their organisations. It has been determined
that each of them played a conciliatory role that was most suitable for their
readership. | |
