MEDIA FRAMING, MORAL PANIC AND COVID-19: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF CHINA, SOUTH KOREA, AND THE US.

Authors

Deena DeVore
Sinyong Choi
Yudu Li, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
Hong Lu

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-2021

Abstract

COVID-19 is perhaps the single most impactful event defining 2020 globally. Drawing on theory on media typology involving freedom and responsibility, media framing and moral panic theories, this paper examines media coverage on COVID-19 in three countries, China, South Korea and the United States. Data were obtained from six news outlets, Xinhua News, South China Morning Post, Chosun, Hankyoreh, CNN and Breitbart, two from each of the three countries. More than 1,000 COVID-19 related reports, spanning six days (the last day of January to June, 2020) were selected and coded based on common priming themes such as tone, the othering, medical/science, economic consequences, attribution of responsibility, human interests, conflict, leadership, and denial/severity. The results will be interpreted based on the theory of freedom and responsibility, and the unique political and economic characteristics of each country. Implications of press freedom and responsibility, media’s role and citizens’ rights to be informed are discussed.

Comments

Copyright © 2021

Recommended Citation

DeVore, D., Choi, S., Li, Y., & Lu, H. (2021). MEDIA FRAMING, MORAL PANIC AND COVID-19: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF CHINA, SOUTH KOREA, AND THE US. Asian Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities Vol, 10(1), 19–38.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Publication Title

Asian Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities