Answer to Question #257851 in Sociology for Araba

Question

The history of newspaper in SA and their impact on society; does the use of internet and social media enhance political participation of citizens?

Answer 1

The Herald is one of South Africa's oldest publications, having been founded in 1845 as the Eastern Province Herald. Its initial issue, consisting of four pages, was published on May 7, 1845, and cost one penny. In South Africa, social media, particularly news disseminated through social media sites, contributes to the concept of attention politics. It has been discovered that news consumption leads to political persuasion, therefore the more people utilize social media platforms for news, the more their political views would be influenced.

Political parties and politicians use the Internet to run election campaigns, communicate with constituents, and form partnerships with other groups or individuals. Small groups with low resources can also participate in the political process thanks to the internet. The development in popularity of social media has had a significant impact on how political communication is carried out in South Africa; it now allows ordinary people, politicians, and thought leaders to publicly communicate their thoughts to, and engage with, large networks of like-minded people.