Browsing by Author "Tshabalala, Tshepo"

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    The intermedia agenda-setting relationship between TimesLive and Twitter in South Africa
    (2022-04) Tshabalala, Tshepo; Botma, Gabriel; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This researched explored the intermedia agenda setting relationship between online news publication, TimesLive (i.e., TimesLive.co.za) and social media platform, Twitter. The relationship between the two platforms was explored within the context of the growing development of digital media, the fast-changing news environment as well as the agenda setting role of online legacy media. This research aimed to assess the direction of this relationship between TimesLive and Twitter. This research assessed whether narratives proffered on social media, specifically, Twitter, has direct influence on the news media agenda and/or whether narratives produced by TimesLives influence the social media agenda. The intermedia agenda setting theory was employed as theoretical framework in this research. To conduct the study, a mixed-methodology design was employed. Several hypothesis, which state that there is mutual intermedia agenda setting between TimesLive and Twitter both over the course of a single day and between days were tested. Data for both platforms was gathered twice a day over a seven-day period. This data was subsequently manually coded and then analysed. The quantitative content analysis employed cross-lagged panels with Rozelle-Campbell baseline was employed to assess the direction of the hypothesized relationship. Additionally, qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with several journalists and editors at TimesLive to explore ways in which the agenda can be set for TimesLive by Twitter, (vice versa) in ways that may not be appear explicitly in the content on both platforms. Through the content analysis of both Twitter and TimesLive, as well as through interviews with participants, it was not as clear who sets the agenda between the two media platforms. However, this area of study needs to be further explored as influence and impact of social media within newsrooms in South Africa cannot be discounted.