Frame Analysis: Newspaper Coverage of Kenya's Oil Exploration in the Post-2012 Discovery Era

Abstract

This frame analysis research examines the coverage of Kenyan oil exploration by two national English newspapers from 2012 to 2016. Specifically, the study investigates the prevalence of seven media frames—namely attribution of responsibility, conflict, economic consequences, energy policies, energy security, human interest and environmental concern—during the four-year period. It also examines the nature of the coverage—episodic or thematic—and whether the predominant frame is associated with episodic or thematic framing. Findings show that attribution of responsibility and economic consequences were the most dominant frames, while the general coverage was overwhelmingly thematic.