https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/181 Tue, 11 Aug 2026 07:06:22 GMT 2026-08-11T07:06:22Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32815 Communicating health crises: framing of the coronavirus pandemic by select Ghanaian news portals Ntem, Martin Thompson Kwadzo Like many countries, the outbreak of the coronavirus disease in Ghana in March 2020 and the attendant manifestations impacted the country drastically, leaving behind unforgettable memories. Yet, there has not been any significant study on how the pandemic was covered at the critical time of the outbreak and the ramifications thereof. Thus, this study investigated media portrayals of the coronavirus pandemic in four selected Ghanaian online news portals to understand the overall nature of media coverage of the pandemic and its impact on media consumers’ perceptions. Six specific objectives were addressed: to investigate the core issues the media focused on, to identify the core frames that dominated media reportage of the pandemic, to investigate the primary sources of news, to investigate the main phases of coverage that characterised Ghanaian media coverage of the pandemic, to understand the core factors that accounted for the selection of frames that were engaged in reporting the pandemic, and to understand how the media coverage influence people’s perception and behaviour about the pandemic. The research was underpinned by the Media Framing and Agenda Setting theories of communication alongside a qualitative approach that collected and analysed three data sets. First, purposive sampling was used in collecting and content analysing data from four online Ghanaian news portals: citinewsroom.com, gna.org.gh, peacefmonline.com, and myjoyonline.com from March 12, 2020, to March 24, 2021. Second, four health reporters from each selected news portal were purposively sampled and interviewed to help the researcher understand their framing choices. Finally, convenience sampling was used to select respondents for focus group discussions and participatory workshops to understand the perceived effects of the pandemic news coverage on Ghanaians. The data from these three sources were analysed and the results, triangulated. The study found that political issues constituted the major issues that dominated media coverage of the selected Ghanaian media outlets during the pandemic, and the issues were reported using ‘politics’ frames. It implies that most of the pandemic stories were sourced from political elites and government officials, with less from health experts and the international media. The results also indicate that the selected media reported issues more from social and political perspectives. However, the four selected media were also found to report misinformation, leading to confusion and fear among the public. Consequently, the results provide insights into how media organisations can better report on public health emergencies, thus contributing meaningfully to the larger goal of improving health communication during crisis situations. The study, therefore, recommends that the media provide responsible reportage during health crises as a crucial contribution to shaping public perception and effectively influencing people’s response efforts in such situations. Wed, 31 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32815 2024-01-31T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32754 Investigating the role of branding in strategic communication: a qualitative study of the GCIS and Department of Tourism Lebele, Seapei Pascaline This study investigated the role of branding in strategic communication within the South African government, with reference to the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) and the Department of Tourism. Although government branding has attracted scholarly attention, it is often treated in isolation from broader strategic communication processes. This separation creates gaps in understanding how branding functions as an integrated component of government communication. Furthermore, limited research has examined government branding through a systems theory lens. Grounded in systems theory, the study adopted a qualitative, phenomenological research design to explore communicators’ experiences of branding within their institutional contexts. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with thirteen purposively selected communication practitioners from the GCIS and the Department of Tourism. Data were analysed using thematic analysis to identify recurring codes and themes. The findings indicate that branding plays a strategic role in enhancing brand awareness, thereby contributing to the achievement of institutional objectives. Branding was also found to support differentiation, credibility, trust-building, and legitimacy in government communication, although its effectiveness still depends on consistent implementation and alignment with other organisational objectives. However, the study identified challenges related to brand consistency, highlighting the need for ongoing training and internal alignment among communicators and other staff members. The study contributes to advancing government communication policy and practice by positioning branding as an integral component of strategic communication rather than a standalone activity. It further enriches the literature on government branding by applying systems theory and recommends a phased approach to reinforcing implementation, improving guidelines, and fostering institutional learning to enhance effectiveness in practice and additional research to deepen theoretical understanding in this area. Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32754 2026-03-03T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32716 Exploring rhetorical use of social media in corporate communication: an interpretive study using Aristotle’s ethical rhetoric framework during a crisis in an Odel institution Mohajane, Makgoane Paul This study examines the rhetorical use of social media by a large South African open distance and e-learning (ODeL) university, using a governance crisis as a high-pressure context in which institutional credibility (ethos) was publicly tested. Rather than analysing the crisis itself, the research treats the episode as a natural laboratory for evaluating Aristotle’s ethical rhetoric framework in digital communication. The study assesses how institutional statements on Facebook and X performed in terms of ethos (credibility), pathos (emotional engagement), and logos (reasoned argument). An interpretive qualitative content analysis was conducted on four purposively selected official statements posted between August and November 2023, examined alongside their public interaction threads. While the wider communication environment included substantial platform activity, the analysis focused on rhetorically salient crisis statements to assess how credibility was constructed and received under scrutiny. Findings indicate that logos was the dominant appeal, reflected in structured argumentation and legal referencing. However, gains in ethos were moderated by a guarded tone and constrained explanatory depth, while pathos was applied narrowly and without dialogic engagement. The uniform, text-heavy approach showed limited adaptation to platform-specific dynamics. The study contributes by operationalising Aristotle’s appeals for social media analysis and by identifying three practical gaps: an emotion-response gap, a platform-adaptation gap, and an ethos-rebuilding gap. The findings suggest that institutional rhetoric under pressure requires balanced integration of credibility, emotional responsiveness, and reasoned clarity to sustain trust in digital public spaces. Wed, 27 Feb 0026 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32716 0026-02-27T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32551 An exploratory study on the uses and gratifications of smartphones in the workplace: a case study of the National Energy Regulatory of South Africa (NERSA) Mabaso, Fikile Maud Smartphone use in the workplace has shown both positive and negative effects. The study examines how employees of the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) utilise smartphones and the gratifications derived from their use. The Regulator permits all employees, including general staff and management, to use smartphones during working hours to enhance communication and improve service delivery in the energy industry. However, the absence of a regulatory framework in the form of policies, regulations, and guidelines leaves it unclear how smartphones should be used and managed in the workplace. The researcher identified a gap in the literature on smartphone use in the workplace, particularly within an organisation such as NERSA, thereby necessitating this study. No researcher had conducted this type of work at the time of the study. The study adopted an interpretive paradigm to explore the uses and gratifications of smartphones in the workplace and to understand how staff and management utilised smartphones. The study was largely qualitative and used descriptive statistics. The target population comprised two hundred and twenty (220) NERSA employees. Of these, eighty-eight (88) took part. The study employed the uses and gratifications theory to explore how smartphones were utilised in the workplace. Self-administered online questionnaires, comprising open- and closed-ended questions, were distributed via SurveyMonkey to collect data. Respondents were sent an online questionnaire via a link in their email. The data from open-ended questions were analysed and organised thematically, while the data from closed-ended questions were presented in graphs and tables. It was found that employees used their smartphones more for personal activities than for work-related tasks, with personal use in the workplace exceeding 15 percent. The study recommends increasing smartphone use in the workplace to better benefit organisations. Policies, regulations, or guidelines should be adopted to advise employees on this matter. Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32551 2025-09-01T00:00:00Z