Exploring the framing of news by selected specialist beat journalists during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020

Abstract

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.Jam Jam, Z. 2025. Exploring the framing of news by selected specialist beat journalists during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/aacf2356-4ce1-4768-a114-704dfc14495fENGLISH ABSTRACT: The South African government instituted regulations during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown levels five and four (between 26 March 2020 and 31 May 2020) to impose restrictions and curb the spread of the virus. These restrictions were imposed to ensure people adhered to social distancing, no travelling, no events, and no access to public places. Considering that the government-imposed restrictions, journalists fulfilled their journalistic duties by reporting on different activities and related issues during the lockdown. These include the increasing number of Covid infections, closure of schools, universities implementing online learning, as well as the cancellation of events and sporting activities. This study explores how selected specialist beat journalists from selected newspapers framed news during the Covid-19 pandemic. The selected journalists were beat specialists in the areas of politics, education, business, entertainment, sport (cricket), local community news, and sport (rugby). The newspaper articles written by the journalists were sampled from South African-based news organisations that publish daily news in the English language. The newspapers are The Herald, The Sowetan, Cape Times, The Citizen KZN, The Cape Argus, and The Mercury. In employing the beat concept and framing theory, a qualitative framing analysis was applied as the central methodology. Eight frames were identified in the sampled news articles which are: Covid-19 pandemic, education, local community, politics, economic, entertainment and lifestyle, sport, and miscellaneous. Some of the themes that have been identified through the analysis were the consumption of home remedies to cure Covid-19, vandalism, police brutality, implementation of online learning in the education sector and increased mental health issues. The general conclusion of the study is that selected specialist beat journalists framed news according to their beats as well as the Covid-19 pandemic itself. While journalists did adapt their reporting to incorporate Covid-19, most of them continued to focus on their specific beats. Future studies could conduct quantitative research to better understand the number of stories that were written across different media outlets and beats during the Covid-19 lockdowns. In addition, interviews with journalists would also help gain more insight into how they adapted their reporting practices and routines.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar nie.Master