Communicating health: Media framing of COVID−19 pandemic in sub-saharan African countries

Abstract

The issues of health are relevant to the existence of a human being. How can communication hasten containment of a COVID-19 pandemic is crucial to mitigate its impact on human lives since issues relating to health are considered vital to all strata of persons in the society regardless of their socio-economic and political status. This study is to investigate how Addis Zemen newspaper covered and framed news stories concerning Coronavirus health concerns in Ethiopia. Using the quantitative content analysis method, the newspaper was analyzed along the lines of its news report; feature stories, editorial, opinion as well as interviews. Findings show that much coverage has been given to the spread of coronavirus, and the issue was considered prominent in the newspaper. On sources of information, about one-quarter of the stories have used government officials as its sources; on the other hand, about one-five of the reports on Coronavirus were substantiated by health experts and health organizations. Ten types of frames were found prominently emphasized in the reports while two were made salience in almost half of the total reports on the pandemic. Containment and effect frames were by far the most frequently appearing frame in the media.