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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

Develop, maintain and monitor media relations to communicate government information 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
114481  Develop, maintain and monitor media relations to communicate government information 
ORIGINATOR
SGB Government Communication and Information Stms 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-  
FIELD SUBFIELD
Field 04 - Communication Studies and Language Communication Studies 
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
Undefined  Regular  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  5 
REGISTRATION STATUS REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 2018-07-01  2023-06-30  SAQA 06120/18 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30   2027-06-30  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This unit standard does not replace any other unit standard and is not replaced by any other unit standard. 

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD 
This unit standard is for people who have or seek responsibility for government communications programmes and need to develop and maintain working relationships with media organisations and representatives.

Persons credited with this unit standard are able to:
  • Profile the media.
  • Develop and maintain media relationships.
  • Monitor media relationships. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    The credit calculation is based on the assumption that learners are already competent in the following areas of learning when starting to learn towards this unit standard:
  • Communications and language at a minimum of NQF Level 4.
  • Experience in dealing with the media.
  • Knowledge and understanding of government policies, processes and protocol. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD RANGE 
    The following scope and context applies to the whole unit standard:

    The term "media" in this unit standard refers to press, radio, television, film and magazines, and encompasses print, graphic, electronic, computer, and telecommunications, in the following contexts: public, private and community.

    Specific range statements are provided in the body of the unit standard where they apply to particular specific outcomes or assessment criteria. 

    Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria: 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1 
    Profile the media. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    1. Media organisations relevant to government communications are identified and classified in terms of type of medium, political alignments where applicable and ownership. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    2. Media organisations relevant to government communications are identified and classified in terms of their performance, exposure, public standing and track record. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    3. Media operational culture is outlined in terms of the potential impact on government communication and the promotion of a positive image. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    4. Individuals within media organisations are identified and classified according to niche area, quality of work, relationships with the government and accessibility. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    5. Media timelines are identified. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    This includes details of operating hours, deadlines, pressure times, quiet periods, lead times.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    6. Priority relationships are identified. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Develop and maintain media relationships. 
    OUTCOME RANGE 
    to include situations where media may be hostile. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    1. Relationships with media organisations and individuals are open and contact is established easily. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    2. Cooperation levels with media make it possible to use the media for government communication. The take-up and regularity of reporting appearances is sufficient to maintain government communications through the media. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    3. Opportunities are created to expand and follow-up on stories and events. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    4. Media queries are responded to timeously and in a way that promotes the image of government. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    5. Media is alerted timeously concerning media events, breaking and other news. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    6. Hostile situations are dealt with in a manner that promotes constructive engagement. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 7 
    7. Relationships are developed in a manner that establishes trust and promotes a productive working relationship between government and media. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Monitor media relationships. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    1. Monitoring activities are regular and consistent. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    2. Monitoring activities are sufficient to provide information on the nature and quality of media relations, including successes, failures, challenges and difficulties. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    3. Records of the nature and quality of media relationships are understandable, reveal trends and allow for further analysis. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    4. Monitoring activities and records facilitate the maintenance of media relationship profiles and help provide recommendations for future engagements with the media. 


    UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS 
    Providers of learning towards this unit standard will need to meet the accreditation requirements of the appropriate ETQA.

    Moderation Option:
    The moderation requirements of the appropriate ETQA must be met in order to award credit to learners for this unit standard. 

    UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE 
  • Government communication strategies, policies and regulations.
  • Media environment. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES 
    N/A 


    Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO): 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING 
    Identify and solve problems: this will happen primarily when determining the nature and quality of media relationships, including the identification of problem relationships. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING 
    Work effectively with others and in team: Interacting with the media; maintaining good relations with the media. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING 
    Organise and manage oneself and one`s activities responsibly and effectively: Ensuring contact lists are updated; planning to interact with media; responding on time to negative messages. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING 
    Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information: Identifying and monitoring media ownership; monitoring nature of relationships. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING 
    Communicate effectively using visual, mathematical and/or language skills: Interacting with the media; reporting on nature and quality of media relationships. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO CONTRIBUTING 
    Understand the world as a set of inter-related parts of a system: Understanding the impact of communications on a variety of audiences; understanding the relationship dynamics between media, government and public sector. 

    UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA 
  • Focus the assessment activities on gathering evidence in terms of the main outcome expressed in the title to ensure assessment is integrated rather than fragmented. Remember we want to declare the person competent in terms of the title. Where assessment at title level is unmanageable, then focus assessment around each specific outcome, or groups of specific outcomes.
  • Make sure evidence is gathered across the entire range, wherever it applies. Assessment activities should be as close to the real performance as possible, and where simulations or role-plays are used, there should be supporting evidence to show the candidate is able to perform in the real situation.
  • Do not focus the assessment activities on each assessment criterion. Rather make sure the assessment activities focus on outcomes and are sufficient to enable evidence to be gathered around all the assessment criteria.
  • The assessment criteria provide the specifications against which assessment judgements should be made. In most cases, knowledge can be inferred from the quality of the performances, but in other cases, knowledge and understanding will have to be tested through questioning techniques. Where this is required, there will be assessment criteria to specify the standard required.
  • The task of the assessor is to gather sufficient evidence, of the prescribed type and quality, as specified in this unit standard, that the candidate can achieve the outcomes again and again and again. This means assessors will have to judge how many repeat performances are required before they believe the performance is reproducible.
  • All assessments should be conducted in line with the following well documented principles of assessment: appropriateness, fairness, manageability, integration into work or learning, validity, direct, authentic, sufficient, systematic, open and consistent. 
    		•

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this unit standard was Reregistered in 2012; 2015. 

    UNIT STANDARD NOTES 
    Definition of Terms:

    Terms have been clarified as far as possible through the use of range statements. 

    QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
      ID QUALIFICATION TITLE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL STATUS END DATE PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
    Core  50583   National Certificate: Public Service Communication  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  PSETA 
    Elective  49123   National Certificate: Journalism  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Registered"     		 2007-10-18  Was MICTS until Last Date for Achievement 
    Elective  58978   National Certificate: Journalism  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  MICTS 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    1. ATTI Nelspruit Pty Ltd 
    2. Frayintermedia Cc 
    3. HILLCROSS BUSINESS SCHOOL (PTY 
    4. Jeppe College of Commerce and 
    5. MBOWA COLLEGE PTY LTD 
    6. Musengavhadzimu Media 
    7. Posh Multimedia 
    8. Pretoria Technical College 
    9. Together Lifestyle Resort Pty Ltd 
    10. TSP COLLEGE 
    11. Varsity Institute of Science & Technology (Pty)Ltd 
    12. VUTHLARI MARKETING CONSULTING 
    13. Whitestone College 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.