Die invloed van mediaberiggewing op die beeldvormingsprosesse van die NG Kerk: 'n ondersoek na die uitwerking van mediaberigte op lidmate se beeld van die NG Kerk

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study determines whether media reporting has any influence on members' imageformation processes of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC). The aim of this study was (a) todetermine respondents' attitudes towards the Church, (b) to determine respondents' imageof the Church, (c) to establish whether media reporting has any influence on members'image formation of the DRC, and (d) to define such influence, if any.This study is based on the Integrated Communication Model for Image Formation andProjection (the IFP model) as theoretical foundation. The IFP model suggests that certaindocument design aspects, such as content, style, structure and graphics, may influence acompany or organisation's image. Following on the IFP model this study determined theeffect that rhetorical content devices in media reports have on DRC members' image of theChurch. The rhetorical devices that were analysed are direct criticism, contrast, laden words,implication phenomena, sarcasm and insinuation. The study investigated how theserhetorical devices are employed to have a harmful effect on the image of the DRC.A total of 127 respondents, all of them DRC members, were selected from fourcongregations in the Boland region. The congregations are situated in Worcester (rural),Malmesbury (semi-rural), Paarl (semi-urban) and Durbanville (urban). Gender and age wereincorporated as independent variables of this study.Members' attitude and image with regard to the DRC and media reporting were determinedby means of a questionnaire survey as primary methodology, while the possible influence ofmedia reporting was established through a text analysis (rhetorical discourse analysis, orRDA) – another primary methodology. Professor Martin Kidd from Stellenbosch University'sCentre for Statistical Consultation prepared the statistical processing of the surveyresponses. The results are depicted by means of histograms and other statistical methods.The results show that members' attitudes towards, and image of, the Church are lesspositive than what the Church may have hoped for: Members generally have a cautiouslypositive image of the Church. In addition, results indicate that media reporting does indeedinfluence the image formation processes of the DRC; that this influence is negative, and that it contributes to a less positive image of the Church.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University