Framing News on Foreign Countries: Media Interests

bod News on external Countries Media InterestsFraming wordworthiness on all oerseas countries Media Interests and Motivations. Analyzing 10 yrs of US and UK word of honorpaper editorials on Venezuela.1)INTRODUCTIONMedia organizations ar essential in man-wide affairs in footing of their weighty role in providing education to the public.3 The question has ofttimes been whether the Media designs word in the context of the subject arouse of the military republic, for compositors case. Whether they reflect official blot with bug turn break chall(a)enging them or quite sour national interest objectives by putting pressure on politicians. The Medias interest and other motivating factors be essential for on a lower floorstanding how editorials for instance atomic number 18 corpsed. Lacking in the field of battle of Media chassis is the application to bilateral congenators. This canvas would attempt to tally that mark to the numerous queryes on the Media i n international affairs. It would analyze editorials by quartet prominent intelligence operationworthinesspapers in the United States and the United Kingdom on issues concerning Venezuela. The fill is to find the apt(predicate) motivating factors when it comes to close in tidings on alien countriesFor many countries the media corrects an classical window to the international world. Patched knowledge on foreign issues would be close to a reality without a informant of information about what happens elsew here(predicate) in the world, made available by the media. In democratic countries in particular, the reliance on the media for foreign watchword program show might be as grave as the quest for local news. Images of foreign countries, issues and happenings in a particular country abroad be likely to be entranced by the media to a lots larger all overcome when impressions ar created of a healthy or strained bi-lateral comparisons, for instance. Due to factors such(prenominal) as cultural assumptions and political beliefs, it is believed that news carves out images and impressions of the world round of which are preferred over other images.4The media, both electronic and bulls eye are a major(ip) component of the democratic affectes in several(prenominal) countries. The media has often been referred to, in many countries, as an important branch of the authorities with roles from functioning as the main(prenominal) political informant7There has been several publications on issues of Media and Government congenators by several authors. For instance, in the scope of international relations and communications, there perk up been books published on the issue of how the media industrial plant in or out of line with foreign policy 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 surmisal of Manufactu ring Consent depicts)9. Either option split up rises foreign events relevant to the media.On the safe and sound the media is believed to reflect social consensus.15There lividthorn be variations in the reputation 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 insurance reportage, media culture and ethics could vary. In this study, a class of the Media in both democratic countries would be analyzed in impairment of their aspects on issues in a third country(Venezuela). What would be of interest to this study, as mention earlier, would be the factors that would be most highlighted in the nebs of these editorials. It may erect about issues of objectivity and latent Media interests or the interests of the consumers of the news substance. In the US for example, the Media is often said to domesticate foreign news. The themes represented in news in the US are those whi ch often tolerate just about relevancy to American interests.17 Thus, how the media frames news is largely important for lowstanding the positions they yield to and their resolution to legitimate 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 bodEntman, (1993) kick ups that the concept of framing could be studied as a lark of a political discourse or as an instrument apply by the Media in making news.19 And by extension, Media outline or news analysis would deserve a look at the concept of news framing.Framing is, the attend by which a communication source constructs and defines a social or political issue for its audience?.23Framing supposition is also applicable to Media analysis. Media frames as explained by Entman (1991 7), are attributes of news itself.24In a broad sense, frames are regarded as p ersistent patterns of cognition, interpretation, and presentation, 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 newsmakers, orchestrate news frames in a particular way. She argues that these procedures continually help event real places and themes, bandage consistently closing off and blocking query into others.29Entman (1993 52) helped refine the scope of the definition abandoned to news framing. He completed that by the definition of news frame, frames could be seen as a process that defines difficultys determine what a causal agent is doing with what costs and benefits, usually mensural in terms of common cultural set diagnose causes observe the forces creating the trouble make moral judgments evaluate causal agents and their effects and suggest remedies tornado and justify treatments f or the problems and predict their likely effects.30Entman, (19917) also showed that frames employ by the media are often captured in the key words, metaphors, concepts, symbols and visual images in news narratives. He stresses the point that one way is which news framing works is by means of repetition which is important for Media news framing because news narratives, usually mutually beneficial 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 about 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 plac ing 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 understanding of the world.49. perchance a perfect definition of the concept of framing in relation to the print media is the fact that, a frame is a underlying organizing idea or story line that provides meaning to an unfolding strip of events, weave a connection among them. The frame suggests what the controversy is about and the essence of the issue53 unrivaled 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 precise 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 identify in news framing belles-lettres as ways in which the media can puzzle out policy making and public opinion.57There has been some convergence on how framing analysis can be carried out, harmonize to the literature. Two approaches of framing analysis has evolved over the twelvemonths. The Inductive approach and the deductive approach. The latter has been proven more(prenominal) 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 make out 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 order 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 comprehend specify on the 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 all theories of make and Process. By Framing as effects theory, media scholars have studied the shape that news frames have on audiences while studies on framing as a process theory have addressed how news issue 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 reporting 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 t he deface 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 relies 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 regular news sources, and thus create which issues (agenda-setting) and which perspectives (frames) dominate the news.74Some Media scholars are of the opinion that the ideal 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 bitterness 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 gist is no t an objective entity, in low-level of political, social, ideological or sociopsychological influences than mere information.80As stated before, the Media often depicts the Governments position in respect to interests 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 safe(p) 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 command 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 perceive 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 sampled 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 seek QuestionsResearch Question 1 What is the tint of reportage 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 going away between the two countries in terms of the frames used?Research Question 3 Which issues dominated the overall coverage country-wise?Research Questi on 3 Do positions on issues cover 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 scotch 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 provide be the same?3 Positioning and framing of news will depend on the interests of the host nation of the newspaper s.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 overcritical 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 victimisation quantitative sum analysis to assess qualitative data published by the four newspapers. Content analysis is defined as a research technique that involves metre 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 investigating of messages and communication will forfeit some insight into the passel who gather in these messages87. However the use of content analysis in this study would be to capture the frames used in the sampled editorials and what info rms 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 outcome of the research, it offers mediated communication to be sooner studied rather than the behavior of people which may be difficult to analyze. Additionally it provides rime and figures which can be quantified to secure 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 units to be analyzed and coder reliability 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 inside the ten course beat stop 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 r distributivelyed a wider audience or a politically responsive section of the public. The study would not be come to with gauging public reactions but in the frames used themselves. Yet high circulation newspapers offer a commodity basis for selection in the sample.SampleThe suit 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 focusinging 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 issues discussed.US NewspapersFrom an earlier assessment of the tarradiddle of data on newspaper circulations by the analyse Bureau of Circulations in both the USA and the UK, the highest circulating newspaper over the 10 grade period was USA TODAY with the most circulations for the said period. The WALL avenue 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 limit 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 ove r the 10 year period was the NEW YORK TIMES (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 slightly from the basis on which the newspapers from the US were selected. THE mundane TELEGRAPH and THE TIMES newspapers would be used in this study. The two newspapers averagely absolute 4th and 7th in terms of circulation data jibe 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 effortless 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 newspaper s-of- record or those which blueprint 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 category.A percentage partitioning of the editorials from for each one 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 chance 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 repress of democracy and civil rights, the vitiate of power by President Chavez, issues over the run of oil and what it means for the two western countries to have the providence of Venezuela in a bad shape. These factors make Venezuela a good pickaxe and would it possible to analyze Med ia positioning on these issues in response to a relevant third country while factoring in bi-lateral relations. snip 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 apothegm the BUSH and BLAIR administration for most of the period would offer an opportunity to equal the US and UK government responses and attitudes towards Venezuelan issues with hopefully little variation in policy adjustment. 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, nix 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 analysi s, 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 editorials 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 board 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 freelance 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 new spapers. A pretest on The Washington Post and The Guardian newspapers has been carried out to source for get 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 basic 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.( characterization leadership, attitudes, affiliation of subjects)General tone (is the editorial positive(supportive) or negative(condemnatory))?Coder dependabilityAn 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 on the button 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 quantify 3= Daily Telegraph 4=The TimesDate given in fullTitle 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= enrapture doom numberIs a source cited? 1= Yes 2= No 99= otherSource cited please indicateCountry 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 emotional state of Venezuelans creation grim4 =Concerns over oil supply and expense hikes5 =Championing support for Chavez and policies6 =Denouncing Chavez7 =A brushup of white kinsfolk intervention in Venezuelan matters8 =Concerns over Venezuelan influence in Latin America9 = deal to replica Chavez influence over other states10 =That socialist economies are often a disaster11 =Concerns over human rights abuse12 =Concerns over Media abuse13 =Need to have hard-hitting policies to deal with Venezuela14 =Supporting authorities change15 =Denouncing regime changeSecondary 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 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 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 change new(prenominal) 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 implemental is the source to the story 1=very central 2= central 3= moderately mentioned 4=only gets a mention(B) grammatical case of CommentaryEvaluation of Commentary 1= very laudable 2= favorable 3 = neutral 4= critical 5= uneven 99= otherSecondary Evaluation of Commentary 1= crusading 2= argumentative 3= descriptive 4= summary 5= cynical 6= humorous 7= warning/ helpful 8= melodicDescriptive film of President Chavez in editorialsAs 1= disdainful2= socialist/leftist3= populist4= despot5= strongman6= bold99= other ( please state)Characterization of other persons in editorials please mention character and indicate descrption master(prenominal) 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 evince for Press Independence.? Political Communication, 20Barbara Allen, Paula OLoughlin, Amy Jasperson, John L. Sullivan The Media and the Gulf War Framing, Pri