The aim of this term paper is to give an overview on the media discourse of the Corona pandemic in order to understand the national media discourse and to understand how an international crisis is presented in the national media. Furthermore, the paper aims to find out how the reporting on a health crisis develops over time and can be characterized.
Therefore, the following research questions are posed: How is the media discourse on the Corona pandemic characterized Germany? Which patterns can be identified in the media discourse during crisis times?
Therefore, the scope of the study will only analyse which the sentiment, frames and topics the media used to present the Corona crisis in their news coverage and not how the public perceived the crisis. The main focus is the media discourse itself.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1. Objectives and research question
1.2. Structure and methodology
2. Theoretical framework
2.1. The terms of frame, framing and topic in communication science
2.2. Media discourse - The German news coverage on the Oil crisis 1973
3. Contextual framework
3.1. Political System of Germany
3.2. Media system of Germany
4. Analytical part: The media discourse on the Corona pandemic in Germany
5. Conclusion
6. References
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive overview of the media discourse surrounding the Corona pandemic in Germany. It seeks to understand how national media present an international health crisis, how such reporting evolves over time, and whether specific patterns in media coverage—similar to historical crises like the 1973 oil crisis—can be identified throughout the pandemic.
- Theoretical exploration of framing, media discourses, and social construction of reality.
- Analysis of the political and media landscape within the Federal Republic of Germany.
- Empirical evaluation of media coverage using computational topic modeling and sentiment analysis.
- Identification of thematic phases and framing shifts during the early stages of the Corona crisis.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1. The terms of frame, framing and topic in communication science
The following chapter contains a theoretical discussion of the terms frame, framing and topic, which are central keywords in political communication research and the underlying concept of the methodological approach within this term paper. With regard to the diversity of theoretical perspectives, operational approaches and different facets of the framing process, this theoretical part focuses on the important milestones in the development of the framing concept that are relevant for the presented work.
Frames can be understood as socially shared organizing principles that structure the social world in a meaningful way (Reese, 2007) to give an event a specific meaning. The basis for this was provided by Erving Goffman's sociological research, in which he identified unconscious structures that individuals share to structure and organize experiences in order to define and classify reality (Goffman, 1974). Therefore, frames function as structured interpretation patterns, which help to establish certain correlations and to classify and process information (Hafez, 2002a: 47).
The first conceptionalization of frames was conducted in 1987 by Gamson and Modigliani, who defined a frame as “[…] a central organizing idea or story line that provides meaning to an unfolding strip of events[…] The frame suggests what the controversy is about, the essence of the issue.” (Gamson/Modigliani, 1987: 143).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the global health crisis caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and emphasizes the crucial role of media in shaping public perception during such emergencies.
2. Theoretical framework: Defines central communication science concepts such as frames, framing, and topics, and contextualizes them using the historical example of the 1973 oil crisis.
3. Contextual framework: Provides an overview of the political and media system of the Federal Republic of Germany to establish the foundational conditions of the German news landscape.
4. Analytical part: The media discourse on the Corona pandemic in Germany: Empirically examines the thematic composition and sentiment of German mainstream media coverage during the initial phase of the Corona pandemic.
5. Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, noting that while diverse topical structures emerged, special television programs later adopted a predominant "crisisness" frame.
6. References: Lists the academic sources, reports, and online media materials used for the research.
Keywords
Corona pandemic, Media discourse, Framing, Communication science, Germany, SARS-CoV-2, Crisis communication, Journalism, Political system, Media system, Topic modeling, Sentiment analysis, Public opinion, Crisisness, News coverage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper focuses on the media discourse regarding the Corona pandemic in Germany, specifically analyzing how national media outlets reported on the health crisis during its early stages.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The work covers theoretical concepts of framing, the German political and media systems, and an empirical analysis of media topics and sentiments related to COVID-19.
What is the main research question of this study?
The paper investigates how the Corona pandemic was characterized in German media discourse and identifies specific patterns in reporting during crisis times.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The study utilizes a theoretical exploration of communication concepts combined with an empirical analysis based on computational topic modeling and sentiment analysis of news posts.
What topics are addressed in the main body?
The main body treats the conceptual foundations of framing, provides a contextual background of Germany's political landscape, and analyzes the shift in news coverage topics and sentiments over five distinct phases of the pandemic.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include media discourse, framing, Corona pandemic, political communication, and crisisness.
How does the 1973 oil crisis serve the analysis?
It serves as a comparative historical basis to understand how media coverage follows specific patterns during non-military crises, helping to evaluate whether similar master frames appear during the Corona pandemic.
What did the analysis of special public television programs reveal?
The study found that these programs, particularly those on ARD and ZDF, moved away from neutral reporting and adopted a predominant "crisisness" frame, narrowing the perspective on social and political issues.
- Quote paper
- Vanessa Beyer (Author), 2020, The Media Discourse of the Corona Pandemic. A Study on Germany in 2020, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1030467
