Abstract
M.A. (Communication)
The daily press in several Western countries is subjected to
certain market, psychological and economic inspired changes
that threaten its very existence.
This assumption is manifested in the fact that the total
circulation of daily newspapers in most Western countries does
not seem to be keeping pace with the ever increasing growth in
population.
In fact, in the last ten to fifteen years, there has been a
decline in the circulation figures of some daily newspapers in
the West resulting in many closures. For example, in South
Africa, more daily newspapers were sold in 1975 than in 1985.
This study attempts to analyse the crisis facing the present day
daily press, with a more pertinent emphasis on the daily
press in South Africa.
Several factors that gave rise to the said crisis are
identified and expounded on. This was done from the
supposition that there are certain factors threatening the
function, content and structure of the daily press.
In the first instance,"the study is based on the uses and
gratification theory, and secondly, on the agenda-setting
theory. For the purposes of this dissertation these two
theories are combined and used as such.
The factors identified as having a profound influence on the
daily press are inter alia: alienation and resistance,
information overload, the emergence of a vibrant local press
and free sheets, the electronic media, and the pertinent
financial aspects...