ABRIDGED RESEARCH PROPOSAL

SIXTH BLOG ENTRY

From the blogger’s desk

Social science researchers (including media researchers) have always had a keen interest in the way human beings exist and adapt themselves to certain ages. It is no surprise that even in this present age this sort of interest still continues to inform research based on the human sciences. Against this background, the present information age sees a society that functions and adapts by means of information technologies. One would argue that because of this, there now exists a new evolved society that functions according to new laws and new identities, and, of course, according to the implications of a new media. This latter point is the focus of this blog post and it will be dealt with in the form of an abridged research proposal. The proposal starts here and the journey of it will end on the next (seventh) blog post.

1 TITLE

Audience evolution in South Africa: new forms of communication and the transformation of media audiences- viewers’ perspectives.

2 PROBLEM STATEMENT

A research question that one can ask here is that, how has the present day media audience in South Africa evolved due to their exposure to new ways of communication? As a statement this could read, new forms of communication have led to a transformed and more involved South African media audience.

The motivation behind this is that there needs to be an evaluation that seeks to study the present day relationship between the society and their media. Such an evaluation will see to it that problems of misrepresentation are minimised between the media and society. It will further assist media producers to create and disseminate relevant products that are sensitive to the needs of the audience. On the side of media researchers, this sort of study will assist them in conducting relevant studies that portray a timely society and how this very society makes valuable use of the (new) media. These studies, in turn, will assist to inform a relevant and timely communications policy that is proportionate to the needs and expectations of the audience. The field of audience research will benefit immensely from the findings of such a study that is based on the above title. A proper exploration on these issues, I believe, will add immense value to both the knowledge base and mode of living of both the researcher and the society. Not only the said two but also governments, media institutions, political and economic sectors can also benefit from such an undertaking.  

3 BACKGROUND

Embarking on such a research project is guided by the fact that the audience forms a central point in any communication. The communication might be face-to-face (interpersonal), to a large audience (public speaking), or via the internet (new media). In all these instances the audience in the communication process constitutes an important element. “Why the study on a transformed media audience then?” one might ask. It is no secret that today’s communication and media landscape has (as also suggested by the title) changed dramatically. Such a change, one might argue, has given birth to a new breed of recipients (actually the proper word to use here is participants) who are now more aware of their surroundings. From this background, it proves necessary to embark on, as well as reflect on the characteristics that this new society is made up of. Further, it is important to understand how and to what extent the society has been transformed due to new ways of communication and adaptation. As was mentioned in the previous section, audience research is a very relevant study today. That said, an effective audience research is very much dependent on the findings of such a study as the one proposed by the researcher above.

A study on the transformation and evolution of media audiences is important to me due to a number of reasons. One of these being that I feel it is important to investigate and have a clear picture on how audiences interpret media messages. It is equally important to find out how the negotiation of meaning is achieved between the media user and the media text. Coupled with that is trying to find out how this negotiation of meaning is reflective of audiences’ perception of their surroundings, the media, and other people. As a second reason, the proposed research project is essential in that it has the potential of revealing the ways in which society incorporates the media into their everyday life. In relation to this, such a study can provide further understanding of the relationship that exists between society and their media. This can be investigated by means of, and be in line with new definitions of ‘society’, ‘the audience’, ’media audience’, ‘audience participation’, ‘active audience’, and ‘passive audience’. Thirdly, such a research project is of cardinal relevance to, and especially for the South African society-this being a society that is characterised by immense diversity and differing media uses, as a result. In such a society, the study of audience evolution can reveal what needs do the media fulfill and whether these are, in actuality, met. The above reasons can be said to underpin my interest in conducting the above research project. Not only to me but I believe such a study matters to society as well irrespective of class, gender, economic status and/or country residence.

One example that is illustrative of the above research statement is the drastic and accelerating use of high-tech mobile telephony in South Africa. The use of the so called smart phones is an example of a society that has come to rely heavily on new forms of communication. Let us think about this for a moment, a majority of the population in South Africa has and stores sensitive information on their smart phones. Even the small remnants that do not own a smart phone would sometimes feel completely ‘out of touch’, and they, as a result, make it their mission to get one!

Another example is the increasing use of, and reliance on the social media by the South African society. This is not to say that these examples apply to a South African society only but the reference to South Africa is used because it speaks to the proposed research topic. The researcher might sometimes speak in broad terms but the South African audience and its media space will always constitute a point of departure. Now, (almost) everything nowadays is done and lived through via an online reality and applications. What used to be done and given meaning in real time reality has now turned to emerge and exist in a world infused with a virtual reality. The latter has become more real than any tangible thing! Even the very form (that is, the use of computerisation and computer software) that I am using to communicate with you now attests to this. These are only a few of the many examples one can think of where can be said to be a shift in audience behaviour and adaptation. This, one would argue, is a result of new forms of communication that has led South Africans to formulate and live by new (audience) standards or cultures.   

4 PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to understand and further evaluate by reassessing how new forms of communication have brought about a changed audience. Underlying this purpose is the goal of establishing and properly contextualising, as per given circumstances, the present day relationship between the media and society. This will not only address the communication challenges imminent today but it will also potentially inform communication/media policies to be relevant and representative.

The above goal and purpose therefore can be achieved through a careful systematic and interpretive inspection into today’s South African media users. Such an inspection can also prove to be a fun filled and an eye opening experience. By this it is meant that a study on people (or in this case a study on the South African audience) is always welcomed with keen interest especially in terms of its findings. In addition, the research project aims to find out a satisfactory answer to the question “what do people do to the media?” Finally, this research project is geared at examining how (that is through the use of today’s communications technologies) people adapt and adjust themselves to, and survive in this present (information) age.

5 SIGNIFICANCE

A point mentioned earlier is that the audience forms an integral part in any communication.  This is because communication, in the first place, is concerned with the creation and maintenance of meaning. No matter how many of the technological and cultural communicating tools that have now become widespread, the establishment of meaning will always take center stage. Now, the element of establishing meaning is, of course, created and maintained by the audience. This usually occurs via an audience who engages with, and makes sense of a plethora of communication forms. Such a research project, and the investigations conducted therein, is indeed relevant because it can make one aware of how people affect the media and what meaning(s) do they infer from the workings of the media. The research project is also geared at revealing the opposite of this, that is, in what new ways has the workings of the media affected and transformed the audience.

Researching on the transformation of media audiences is cardinal because it has the potential of making one aware that there has been a shift in audience perspective. The majority of the audience is no longer made up of passive and uninformed individuals who take everything at face value. The discourse now speaks of, and addresses a type of audience that is active, informed and more involved in their interaction with the media. More to the point, the discourse in the South African media space now advocates for, and focuses on the implications of the said type of audience. Such a study is again important as it can shed more light into what exactly is the media used (or not used) for, according to the audience. In other words, it is the perspective of the audience that is most paramount in this regard. They (the audience) are really the most suitable bunch to tell us (media researchers) about audience evolution and transformation. This research project and its findings can be of immense significance to academics (especially those in the field of communication studies and the overall social sciences), media producers, media institutions, governments, media (policy) makers, and of course, the public(s). The latter are really the most important as the said study and many others similar to it primarily concern them.  

Speaking of the society, a great deal of misinformation on their part can be experienced should such a study be neglected. By this it is meant that the audience themselves need to be aware about audience evolution in a clear and substantive manner. This will put the audience in a position to better understand the underpinnings of such an evolution. South African audiences, as diverse as they are, need to be aware of their different use of media messages and the meanings they attach to these. Obviously, it is not being suggested that anything catastrophic (depending on how one looks at it) will happen to society if such a study is not conducted. Rather, it is merely being pointed out that such a study can help the South African society to function well and effectively in a healthy media space. This, needless to say, will assist the said society in realising its own potential(s) and further establish themselves meaningfully in this ever changing (new media) world.