Development communications strategies utilized by the Namibia news media

Abstract

Abstract provided by author:

This study report seeks to examine the content of two newspapers The Namibian (a privately-owned daily newspaper) and New Era (a government-owned bi-weekly newspaper published every Monday & Friday), to find out (1) how much content is devoted to development news about fishing, mining and agricultural sectors of the Namibian Economy, (2) how much of the development news of concern is placed on the front page, (3) the proportion of development communication material of concern placed in the inside pages, and (4) whether or not the articles on the relevant areas of concern exhibit a regard for factors deemed to be important for effective persuasion. Analysis and comparison of this aspect forms the base that will expose the nature of strategies employed by The Namibian and New Era, respectively

The study is based upon the assumption that the mass media in Namibia are not making their full potential contribution to development because they are not putting into play certain techniques encouraged by communication scholars for effective efforts at persuasion. The study also seeks to dispel or prove the notion that government owned newspapers have the upper hand when it comes to coverage of developmental news as in comparison to privately owned newspapers. Following interpretation of the data, some recommendations will be made (based upon the research's findings, communication theory, and the researcher's knowledge of the situation in Namibia) that could help change the situation for the better