Sonja Ruppersberg-Blom – Blog Post
A note to my discussant and class mate:
I am not registered for Com 4809 and my selection of the Bell
Pottinger campaign was pure coincidence. Prof Milton is aware of this matter
and have asked that I advise my discussant of this.
A Brief introduction:
My name is Sonja Ruppersberg-Blom, I am a post graduate student at
the University of South Africa and am currently busy with BA Honours in Media
Studies. I am currently busy with a research project that is aiming to measure
the impact of misinformation and fake news in a South Africa discourse, with
emphasis on the Bell Pottinger misinformation campaign.
Title of study:
Understanding the impact of fake news on the attitudes of a
population within a South African discourse.
2. Stating the problem
The research problem is understanding and illustrating the impact
of fake news and misinformation on the attitudes of South African individuals.
This research is specifically aimed at a South African discourse.
The research wants to find out how the Bell Pottinger campaign
affected the attitudes of regular South Africans. Information gets created at a
rapid pace and can be disseminated over vast territories instantly. It is
therefore important that the accuracy of information and “facts” are carefully
scrutinised. The campaign produced by the Public Relations Firm, Bell
Pottinger, instigated by external entities, played an essential role in the
process of state capture.
South Africans are only now learning the scope of state capture
with the revelations taking place at the Zondo Commission. The misinformation
campaign gave rise to the term “white monopoly capital” and was developed to created
tension and fear in an already polarised South African society. The researcher
is conscious of how fragile and precious good race relations are in South
Africa and are therefore passionate about the subject.
The major issues are therefore the impact of fake news and
misinformation on the attitudes of South Africans. The sub issues are the
subsequent and resultant actions of individuals at the polls, their trust in
Government and their trust in media.
This research will highlight the need for regulation, both
personally and industrywide as it relates to the creation and publication of
content.
In this study the researcher will therefore look at an independent
variable, the average South African, and a dependent variable, the impact of
misinformation, within a population. Looking specifically at the misinformation
campaign around state capture, the research will aim to establish a connection
between attitudes, views, feelings, emotions, actions, and how these aspects
were influenced by misinformation and fake news, with specific reference to the
Bell Pottinger campaign.
3. Stating the rationale
The research is pertinent. The entire world is affected by the
impact of fake news. Battles are fought through the media, on cable news and
social networks.
South Africa is a relatively young democracy with many struggles
and a polarised society, fragile and vulnerable to outside forces. The
researcher wants the reader to consider the impact of the misinformation
campaign perpetrated by foreign entities. It is therefore important to unpack
for the reader how this campaign took place, why it took place and what
resulted in its aftermath. It is the “what” that the researcher wants to
explore.
While there are existing research as it relates to this phenomena
abroad, more research is needed from an African, and more specifically, a South
African perspective. The concept of looting and dominating is not a new concept
in South Africa. As a country with a colonised past, being “taken over” by an
outside entity is part of its history. The differences are the perpetrators and
their method. The researcher therefore likens the seriousness of state capture
to a new form of colonisation and domination.
Sources consulted
Berger,
AA. 2016. Media and Communication Research Methods. 4h edition.
Sage
Publications Ltd. London.
Bell
Pottinger PR support for the Gupta family. 2017.
[O]. Available:
Accessed on
3 May 2019
University
of South Africa. Department of Communication Science. 2019. CMNHONE:
Tutorial letter 301/0/2019. Pretoria.
University
of South Africa. Department of Communication Science. 2019. Tutorial
letter 101/0/2019 for COM4802. Pretoria.
University
of South Africa. Department of Communication Sciences
Assignment
workbook for incoming Honours students. COM4802: Media research
Good morning Sonja.
ReplyDeleteYou have an interesting topic. I see your interest is on how the fake news created by Bell Pottinger affected South Africans.
I suggest you consult the book by Johann Mouton: How to succeed in your Master's & Doctoral Studies. It is a very good book and will help you structure your work properly.
Please note that the background/rationale section of your proposal should indicate the general aims of the study and provide with reasons why you are studying that particular phenomenon. For example you may put it this way: The purpose of this qualitative study is to describe and explain the impact of the fake news on South African Citizens as created by Bell Pottinger during its economic emancipation campaign.
In terms of your literature study, remember that it is where you give information relating to the phenomenon as done by other researchers before. You should describe this phenomenon in detail. That is my understanding of a literature review.
DeleteI have not yet seen your indication whether this is a qualitative study or not. In terms of the research problem, I see you said it is understanding and illustrating the impact of fake news and misinformation on the attitudes of South African individuals.
I think a research problem is that which you want to address or solve through your study. Therefore, if you say the problem is understanding and illustrating the impact of fake news on citizens, is that a problem? How are you going to illustrate and understand the impact of fake news and misinformation as a research problem?
I suggest that you also read Doing Social research: A global context by Claire Wagner, Barbara Kawalich and Mark Garner.
The book will help you to develop a research topic, problem statement and how to plan the research project.
Thanks Martina, for your suggestions. My research problem is the fact that the extent, depth and breadth of fake news, misinformation and disinformation is not sufficiently understood and researched, therefore the inability to mitigate its affects. The research question is therefore how do we understand the impact of this phenomena on a populace? We examine the impact and gauge people feelings and opinions. This is what I want to resolve through my study. The Bell Pottinger case is merely a case in point. There are thousands of examples. The South African discourse is important to me, therefore the Bell. Pottinger event.
ReplyDelete