Is the Pandemic a Boon or a Bane? News Media Coverage of COVID-19 in China Daily
During the current worldwide pandemic, media coverage of COVID-19 influenced popular perceptions and provided guidance on how to deal with the crisis. However, prior research may have been limited by a singular approach and the portrayal of COVID-19 in mainstream newspapers in China has not been ful...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
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Taylor & Francis
2024
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| Online Access: | http://eprints.um.edu.my/46103/ https://doi.org/10.1080/17512786.2022.2043766 |
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| Summary: | During the current worldwide pandemic, media coverage of COVID-19 influenced popular perceptions and provided guidance on how to deal with the crisis. However, prior research may have been limited by a singular approach and the portrayal of COVID-19 in mainstream newspapers in China has not been fully explored. This study utilised mixed-methods research, incorporating automated analysis (n = 308 articles) and manual (n = 52 articles) thematic analysis to unravel and illustrate the prominent topics and themes in China Daily. The results showed that although China Daily initially depicted COVID-19 as a ``bane'', it has since portrayed it as a relative ``boon.'' Positive themes were identified, like prosociality, cooperation, pandemic recovery and informativeness, while themes of political tension emerged, like Occidentalism. The current study advances our understanding of COVID-19 news representations by harnessing mixed-methods research, which reduces subjective bias and offers a more complete picture. Moreover, it is significant in helping to understand journalistic practice and how China, a state-controlled and ideology-dominated mediascape, has depicted COVID-19 while facing international stigma, conspiracy and blame. |
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