Framing News on Foreign Countries: Media Interests

enclose News on Foreign Countries Media InterestsFraming word on immaterial countries Media Interests and Motivations. Analyzing 10 yrs of US and UK passwordpaper editorials on Venezuela.1)INTRODUCTIONMedia organizations ar requisite in inter field of examine affairs in damage of their measurable role in providing in remainsation to the public.3 The question has often been whether the Media frames news program in the context of the field of reflect interest of the host country, for example. Whether they reflect official position without ch to each oneenging them or rather cast national interest objectives by putting pressure on politicians. The Medias interest and anformer(a)(prenominal) motivating factors are essential for understanding how editorials for instance are framed. Lacking in the matter of Media skeletal system is the application to bilateral relations. This study would attempt to add that dimension to the numerous re lookes on the Media in international a ffairs. It would analyze editorials by four bighearted newspapers in the United States and the United earth on issues concerning Venezuela. The aim is to find the likely motivating factors when it comes to inclose news on foreign countriesFor many countries the media symbolizes an important window to the international cosmos. Patched companionship on foreign issues would be close to a reality without a ancestor of information about what happens elsewhere in the world, made available by the media. In democratic countries in concomitant, the reliance on the media for foreign news might be as important as the quest for local news. Images of foreign countries, issues and happenings in a particular country abroad are likely to be influenced by the media to a much larger scale when impressions are created of a healthy or strained bi-lateral relations, for instance. Due to factors such as cultural assumptions and g all oernmental beliefs, it is believed that news carves out images and impressions of the world some of which are preferred all over other images.4The media, both electronic and print are a major comp superstarnt of the democratic carry throughes in several countries. The media has often been referred to, in many countries, as an important branch of the government with roles from functioning as the main political informant7There has been several publications on issues of Media and Government relations by several authors. For instance, in the scope of international relations and communications, at that place bugger off been books published on the issue of how the media works in or out of line with foreign constitution or the national interest. The debate has been whether or not the media is likely to support the national interest of the country in which it operates in relation to other countries(as the scheme of Manufacturing Consent depicts)9. Either option work outs foreign events relevant to the media.On the whole the media is believed to reflect social consensus.15There may be variations in the nature of the Media depending on the region or country of operation. A media in a democratic country may be freer than those in a non-democratic country so news coverage, media culture and ethics could vary. In this study, a section of the Media in both democratic countries would be analyzed in ground of their positions on issues in a third country(Venezuela). What would be of interest to this study, as mention originally, would be the factors that would be most highlighted in the accounts of these editorials. It may bring about issues of objectivity and latent Media interests or the interests of the consumers of the news content. In the US for example, the Media is often said to domesticate foreign news. The themes represented in news in the US are those which often have some relevance to the Statesn interests.17 Thus, how the media frames news is largely important for understanding the positions they yield to and their response to certain foreign events. In issues of national interest and in relation to bilateral relations, it would be important to know how the media in different countries frame news on events in countries abroad.2) LITERATURE REVIEWNEWS underframeEntman, (1993) suggests that the concept of inclose could be studied as a feature of a political discourse or as an instrument applied by the Media in making news.19 And by extension, Media digest or news analysis would deserve a look at the concept of news framing.Framing is, the process by which a communication source constructs and defines a social or political issue for its audience?.23Framing theory is as well applicable to Media analysis. Media frames as let offed by Entman (1991 7), are attributes of news itself.24In a broad sense, frames are regarded as persistent patterns of cognition, interpretation, and origination, and as selection, emphasis, and exclusion, by which symbol handlers routinely organize discourse, whether verbal or visual.?.27Tuchman showed how framing as a process theory works. And that the routine procedures employ by news concordrs, range news frames in a particular focussing. She argues that these procedures continually help showcase certain places and ideas, tour consistently closing off and blocking inquiry into others.29Entman (1993 52) helped refine the scope of the definition prone to news framing. He established that by the definition of news frame, frames could be seen as a process that defines problems determine what a causal agent is doing with what costs and benefits, usually heedful in terms of common cultural values diagnose causes identify the forces creating the problem irritate moral judgments evaluate causal agents and their effects and suggest remedies twist and justify treatments for the problems and predict their likely effects.30Entman, (19917) also showed that frames used by the media are often captured in the keywords, metaphors, concepts, symbo ls and visual images in news narratives. He stresses the point that one way is which news framing works is through repetition which is important for Media news framing because news narratives, usually dependent on frames, are meant to direct attention to certain ideas, while excluding certain other ideas.33It has also been established that Framing involves processes of inclusion and exclusion as well as emphasis.38Framing also has the ability to make consumers of news accept and adopt some symbolic themes and values.39 While the process of selectively and emphasis is carried out by the newsmakers, those for whom a particular news is meant, are also likely to be predisposed to understanding and interpreting information in a selective way.Framing has also been explained to be the process of placing information into a context of preconscious symbolism. 43The framing process employed by the Media is regarded as key to shaping both the publics and decision-makers knowledge, image and und erstanding of the world.49. perhaps a perfect definition of the concept of framing in relation to the print media is the fact that, a frame is a central organizing idea or story line that provides meaning to an unfolding strip of events, weaving a connection among them. The frame suggests what the controversy is about and the essence of the issue53One of the significant areas in relation to framing of news and Media positioning is Foreign Policy. Assessments of the response of the media to foreign issues is largely based on a critical analysis of how the media operates or how a particular section of the media churns out news or editorials, for example the position that major newspapers take on certain foreign issues. In a way how it sets the agenda for government or public reactions.Both agenda setting and framing have been identified in news framing literature as ways in which the media can influence constitution making and public opinion.57There has been some convergence on how f raming analysis can be carried out, gibe to the literature. Two approaches of framing analysis has evolved over the years. The Inductive approach and the Deductive approach. The latter has been proven more scientific than the former. The Deductive approach organizes the framing analysis based on pre-outlined broader frames.59There has also been an attempt by some authors to group frames along certain distinctions. Frames could be grouped under issue-specific frames which hole with particular issues in detail and generic frames which cover broader themes found in different settings.61One issue raised by some authors on framing is how the Media treat sources. When elite sources to news are relied on by journalists for example, they may in a way be a channel for promoting the views and opinions of the political roll or the elites to the larger audience63Most of the literature also agree that the location of a news story gives it much weight in terms of the recognize influence on t he newspapers readership and how important the issues are to them. It also demonstrates the importance the media attaches to that particular issue or event.67In all, Media scholars have studied Framing theory as either theories of Effects and Process. By Framing as effects theory, media scholars have studied the influence that news frames have on audiences while studies on framing as a process theory have addressed how news content is created and modified in certain ways considering the factors that influence the carving of news in a particular way. 68.Although the framing of news is important to the coverage given to events and issues, there are other elements or factors that influence the framing of news in itself have to be identified.72 This study would turn the spot light on the wide array of all the other factors that may help explain why news is framed in a particular way.As pointed out earlier, some literature on the Media have suggested that the sources that the Media relie s go an extent to make the news themselves. In other words, Organizations with more resources, or that have more credibility in the eyes of journalists, are more likely to become unceasing news sources, and thus shape which issues (agenda-setting) and which perspectives (frames) dominate the news.74Some Media scholars are of the opinion that the i roll in the hay state of Media Objectivity is far fetched. Some are of the view that there is no fundamentally non-ideological, apolitical, non-partisan news gathering and reporting system. Since there may be dispute over objectivity and news without bias, the concept of framing becomes important to analyzing the frames used in making news.77While journalists may dispute these assertions, it is believed that news content is not an objective entity, independent of political, social, ideological or sociopsychological influences than mere information.80As stated before, the Media often depicts the Governments position in respect to interest s and issues especially in relation to other countries. There has been the suggestion that the Medias position is based on national values, national interest and cultural values of their host countries.82The Media is likely to succumb to the views of governments because the latters position on issues is seen as an overriding common good transcending the specific interests of parties, factions, and other entities smaller than the nation as a whole.?84The problem with the concept of framing is that it lacks clear conceptual definitions and a comprehensive statement to guide research.85 Yet these challenges would make it important for more research into factors that influence news framing.The extent to which consumers of news behold foreign leaders in either a positive or negative light is dependent on how framing is carried out.86 The latter point might be important to understand how the reading-public of the four savourd newspapers are likely to perceive the leadership in Venezuela . Most of the research done on news framing have largely gone in the way of foreign policy research. A few have looked at news framing in relation to another country with a lengthy time range while Media response and framing on various issues are measured and analyzed. The study hopes to add to the already existing research on news framing in this regard.3) Proposed query enquirysResearch Question 1 What is the tone of coverage on Venezuela in U.S. and U.K. editorials? Do the two groups of newspapers differ in tone?Research Question 2 Which frames dominated in the overall coverage and was there a significant difference between the two countries in terms of the frames used?Research Question 3 Which issues dominated the overall coverage country-wise?Research Question 3 Do positions on issues covered reflect National Interest of the two countries?Research Question 4 Do these editorials rely on government sources in arriving at opinions and conclusions?Research Question 5 Which issues are most prominent in all the coverage?Research Question 6 Do the editorials lean towards a kind of political or frugal ideology?4) VARIABLESThe variables for this study would be the following 1 Independent -Tone of coverage and framing in UK editorials-Tone of coverage and framing in US editorials-Most highlighted issues2 Dependent -The interests of the UK(economic, political, other)-The interests of the US (economic, political, other)-The ideology of the paper5) Proposed Research Hypothesis1 There is no difference in tone between the two groups of newspapers.2 The level of interest given to highlighted issues between the two groups of newspapers will be the same?3 Positioning and framing of news will depend on the interests of the host nation of the newspapers.4 Positioning and framing of news will depend on the ideology of the host nation of the newspapers.5 UK newspaper editorials are likely to be less(prenominal) critical of Venezuela because of better bi- lateral relations.6 US newspaper editorials are likely to be more critical of Venezuela because of worse bi-lateral relations.6) METHODOLOGYMethodThe study on these editorials would be carried out using quantitative content analysis to assess qualitative data published by the four newspapers. Content analysis is defined as a research technique that involves measuring a content( in this case, news frames) in a random sampling of some form of communication( in this case, editorials). The basic assumption implicit in content analysis is that an investigation of messages and communication will allow some insight into the people who gull these messages87. However the use of content analysis in this study would be to capture the frames used in the sampled editorials and what informs interests in issues and not what the consumers of such news perceive or how they react to these messages.One advantage of content analysis is that unlike other research methods where the researcher can easily influence the outc ome of the research, it offers negociate communication to be rather studied rather than the behavior of people which may be difficult to analyze. Additionally it provides events and figures which can be quantified to dear likely viable assessments.88Admittedly, the use content analysis technique also brings to the fore issues concerning the representativeness of the samples used, the adequate definition of issues, difficulties with measuring building blocks to be analyzed and coder dependableness issues.89A conversion of coded values into quantitative statistical data would be made after the content analysis.PopulationThe population of this study would be all editorials on Venezuela within the ten year period by high circulating newspapers in the US and the UK. The assumption is that editorials from newspapers with a relatively high number of circulations, may have been read by a significant number of people or may have reached a wider audience or a politically responsive secti on of the public. The study would not be concerned with gauging public reactions but in the frames used themselves. Yet high circulation newspapers offer a good basis for selection in the sample.SampleThe type of sampling used in selecting editorials is Criterion Sampling .Editorials which will make up the sample are those with references made to the words VENEZUELA and HUGO CHAVEZ and political and economic issues related to these terms. A retrieval of the editorials from the search engine LEXIS-NEXIS has already been carried out using the following terms VENEZUELA, HUGO CHAVEZ and EDITORIAL for the US newspaper database. For the LEXIS NEXIS -UK database, editorials were retrieved using the search terms VENEZUELA, HUGO CHAVEZ and LEADING ARTICLE. Editorials not focusing on these issues or not focusing on issues of political relevance were dropped from the sample ,for example those focusing on say sports or those with the mere mention of these terms with no relation to relevant issu es discussed.US NewspapersFrom an earlier assessment of the account of data on newspaper circulations by the Audit Bureau of Circulations in both the USA and the UK, the highest circulating newspaper over the 10 year period was USA TODAY with the most circulations for the said period. The WALL STREET JOURNAL (WSJ) came second with the most circulations over the period. The WSJ will however be discounted because of its orientation mostly to financial news and events. The research would be limited to newspapers which mostly deal with political news and also focuses on foreign political news in its content or publications. With these criteria, the third major political newspapers which polled the third highest number of circulations over the 10 year period was the NEW YORK time (NYT). Thus editorials from the USA TODAY and the NYT will be used in the content analysis.UK NewspapersThe selection criteria for the two highest Circulating newspapers in the UK however differ somewhat from the basis on which the newspapers from the US were selected. THE free-and-easy TELEGRAPH and THE TIMES newspapers would be used in this study. The two newspapers averagely rank 4th and 7th in terms of circulation data according to the Audit Bureau from January 2000 to 2009. The two newspapers which ranked as the two highest-circulating newspapers for the 10 year period in the UK were THE SUN and DAILY MAIL. The two come under the category of Tabloid Newspapers and are not considered serious political newspapers. The two will not be the focus of this study. The DAILY MIRROR, DAILY STAR, and the DAILY EXPRESS ranked 3rd, 5th and 6th respectively. This study will focus on those newspapers which come under those usually termed newspapers-of- record or those which set serious journalism. Of the newspapers under this category,THE GUARDIAN and THE TIMES had averagely, the highest number of circulations during the 10 year period discounting those newspapers which fall under the tabloid ca tegory.A percentage breakdown of the editorials from each newspaper is found below. The four newspapers had on average a significant circulation tally during the specified period namely from (January) 2000 to (December) 2009.Why Venezuela?Venezuela offers a good to panorama to study the politics behind the news. Various perceived interests are involved in relation to the US, UK and Venezuela. The controversies have been over the stifling of democracy and civil rights, the curse of business leader by President Chavez, issues over the supply of oil and what it means for the two western countries to have the economy of Venezuela in a bad shape. These factors make Venezuela a good choice and would it possible to analyze Media positioning on these issues in response to a relevant third country while factor in bi-lateral relations.Time Period The choice of long time duration will allow for significant content analysis to be done on the editorials. Since this research would also assess government statements and positions on the issues arising from Venezuela, the time period which saw the BUSH and BLAIR administration for most of the period would offer an opportunity to match the US and UK government responses and attitudes towards Venezuelan issues with hope salutaryy little variation in policy change. The reasoning is that an unchanged administration or party in power is likely to have the same attitudes or reactions to foreign issues from a particular country than when the administration changes over a period of time, barring any major shift in interests and policy towards Venezuela by either country during the time period. The study will take all these changes into account in the final analysis, including the editorial responses and positioning on these issues.Coding UnitsEditorials will be the focal point for the coding procedures. Editorials are a good basis for this study because they often represent the view or position of the newspaper. Op-Eds and editor ials with Bylines (those written by individuals and credited with names) have been excluded from the sample. The focus was to look out for editorials which have been written by the editorial identity card of the various newspapers and would represent a justifiable opinion or position of the newspaper itself rather than the views of individual writers.Coding ProcedureThe source for the editorials is the academic search engine LEXIS-NEXIS (which stores electronic copies of newspaper articles and editorials including those that this study would be focused on).Pre-testing4 independent coders would be used to code each editorial article according to frames created from a Pre-test which has already been carried out on two other newspapers. A pretest on The Washington station and The Guardian newspapers has been carried out to source for appropriate categories of frames to be used in the final coding of the 141 editorials. In addition, coders could add extra categories of frames to the b asic list during coding to update the original codebook. 24 editorials from the Washington Post and 54 editorials from The Guardian newspapers were retrieved with the same search words as the main sample. They all fit the same criteria. 25% of each newspapers editorial would be used in the Pre-test. The selection was done randomly. In all 19 editorials would be used for the Pre-test.Framing VariablesFrames(meant for pre-test and to be modified).the problem frames,1-the diagnostic frames( these coverage would identify a problem and assign a responsibility to someone or some other reason)2-the prognostic frames.( here the study seeks to find an editorials solution to particular problems)the presentation frames,1-the issue frame ( coverage on issues such as economy, oil etc)3-the image frame.( portraying leadership, attitudes, affiliation of subjects)General tone (is the editorial positive(supportive) or negative(condemnatory))? coder ReliabilityAn intercoder reliability would predict the amount of agreement or correspondence among the 4 coders. Intercoder Reliability is the extent to which the different judges tend to assign merely the same rating to each object.90 The Intercoder reliability would be checked for the Pre-test and the main test. The formula to be used is Holstis (1969) formula. Coder agreement on each unit of analysis( i.e frames) would be calculated.Preliminary Coding Sheet for Newspaper Editorial Content Analysis(To be amended).Technical DataEditorial Number= give in fullPaper 1= USA 2= NY Times 3= Daily Telegraph 4=The TimesDate given in full human activity of Editorial given in fullPage page on which the editorial is written.Location( section of newspaper) 1= Editorials and Opinions 2= Features 3=Non Stated 99= otherLength of words= please forecast numberIs a source cited? 1= Yes 2= No 99= otherSource cited please repointCountry Mentioned in affiliation to venezuela please indicateCountry Location(continent) 1= Africa 2=Antarctia 3=Asia 4 =Australia 5= Europe 6=North America 7=South AmericaIssues linked to country referred to please indicateThemes in the NewsTheme of the editorial1 =Concerns over Venezuelan crises impacting the world 2 =Concerns over Venezuelan crises impacting the US3 =Concerns of economic and political life of Venezuelans being grim4 =Concerns over oil supply and monetary value hikes5 =Championing support for Chavez and policies6 =Denouncing Chavez7 =A judge of white house intervention in Venezuelan matters8 =Concerns over Venezuelan influence in Latin America9 =Need to getting even Chavez influence over other states10 =That socialist economies are often a adventure11 =Concerns over human rights abuse12 =Concerns over Media abuse13 =Need to have effective policies to deal with Venezuela14 =Supporting government activity change15 =Denouncing regime change supplemental Themes1= Concerns over Venezuelan crises impacting the world 2 =Concerns over Venezuelan crises impacting the US3 =Concerns of ec onomic and political life of Venezuelans being grim4 =Concerns over oil supply and price hikes5 =Championing support for Chavez and policies6 =Denouncing Chavez7 =A critique of white house intervention in Venezuelan matters8 =Concerns over Venezuelan influence in Latin America9 =Need to counter Chavez influence over other states10 =That socialist economies are often a disaster11 =Concerns over human rights abuse12 =Concerns over Media abuse13 =Need to have effective policies to deal with Venezuela14 =Supporting regime change15 =Denouncing regime changeTertiary Themes1 =Concerns over Venezuelan crises impacting the world 2 =Concerns over Venezuelan crises impacting the US3 =Concerns of economic and political life of Venezuelans being grim4 =Concerns over oil supply and price hikes5 =Championing support for Chavez and policies6 =Denouncing Chavez7 =A critique of white house intervention in Venezuelan matters8 =Concerns over Venezuelan influence in Latin America9 =Need to counter Chave z influence over other states10 =That socialist economies are often a disaster11 =Concerns over human rights abuse12 =Concerns over Media abuse13 =Need to have effective policies to deal with Venezuela14 =Supporting regime change15 =Denouncing regime changeOther Themes? Please stateOrientation of Editorial 1= event-oriented2= issue-orientedFraming of the Editorial(A) References To SourcesDomestic Sources( in US or UK) please indicateInternational Sources(in Venezuela) please indicateOther Sources please indicateHow instrumental is the source to the story 1=very central 2= central 3= moderately mentioned 4=only gets a mention(B) Character of Commentary evaluation of Commentary 1= very laudable 2= favorable 3= neutral 4= critical 5= abrasive 99= otherSecondary Evaluation of Commentary 1= crusading 2= argumentative 3= descriptive 4= summary 5= cynical 6= humorous 7= specimen/ helpful 8= lyricalDescriptive Characterization of President Chavez in editorialsAs 1= authoritarian2= socia list/leftist3= populist4= autocrat5= strongman6= bold99= other ( please state)Characterization of other persons in editorials please mention character and indicate descrptionMain DiscoursePlease state any significant words usedLocation of word in editorial 1= headline2= main body7) BIBLIOGRAPHYAlthaus, Scott L. 2003. When News Norms Collide, Follow the Lead New Evidence for Press Independence.? Political Communication, 20Barbara Allen, Paula OLoughlin, Amy Jasperson, John L. Sullivan The Media and the Gulf War Framing, Pri