A comprehensive quality management model for community newspapers
Abstract
The quality of South African (and indeed global) journalism has been under close scrutiny for several
years, resulting in criticism regarding issues such as a lack of depth, diversity and accuracy. A lack of
effective and efficient media management is one factor influencing the quality of journalism in both the
mainstream and community media sectors.
This study focuses on traditional commercial community newspapers that represent the needs, interests
and opinions of a demographically and ideologically diverse readership. These newspapers are distinctive,
but remain subjected to the same journalism standards as mainstream media because of the vital role they
play in creating a platform for intimate community news. Managing quality pro–actively, continuously
and across organisational levels is best accomplished within a Total Quality Management framework,
which requires organisation–wide commitment to and responsibility for quality.
Media products such as community newspapers offer dual, complementary products of (intangible)
content and (tangible) distribution, which are inseparable. Moreover, media products are subject to the
cultural preferences and existing communication infrastructure of specific geographic markets. Following
a systems– and process–based approach simplifies quality management in such complex organisations,
because it offers consistent, predictable results and focused improvement opportunities. The systems
approach also recognises the relationship between the organisation and its external environment, which is
essential in media management.
The main objective of this exploratory study is thus to create a comprehensive quality management
model, taking the nature and characteristics of quality community newspapers and the variables that
influence quality in these organisations into account. This model could be a useful tool for owners,
managers and editors at community newspapers to manage and improve quality in and across all
functions and production processes in their organisations.
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