A Comparative Study of the Coverage of COVID-19 Pandemic in the Ethiopian Herald and the Reporter (English Version)
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Date
2021-06
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AAU
Abstract
The goal of the study is to see how much the Ethiopian Herald and the Reporter English
newspapers covered the COVID-19 outbreak. The quantitative portion of the study is based
on counting the frequency of categorical analysis in newspapers, while the qualitative
portion is based on interviews with journalists and editors who work in newsrooms. To assess
the coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic by the Ethiopian Herald (government) and Reporter
(private) publications from the beginning of February 2020 to the end of March 2021, using
newspapers with a 28-day publication, a total of 150 stories were identified for analysis. The
analysis focused on the COVID-19 pandemic issues, which were grouped into five key
categories: theme, type, sources, by-line, and story origins. The study's key theoretical
frameworks were agenda setting and social learning (cognitive) theories. According to the
findings, Ethiopian Herald have paid greater attention to COVID-19 pandemic issues than
Reporter newspaper, and both newspapers have covered prevention and economic aspects of
the pandemic more frequently, with government officials serving as major sources and most
stories originate locally. Recoveries and survivors are totally ignored in the news and other
forms of articles. Relevant recommendations were forwarded based on the findings: the
newspapers should provide related and background information regarding the COVID-19
pandemic issues; the Ethiopian newspapers, both government and private, should also cover
public health issues besides the pandemic. Because public health is complicated, it
necessitates extensive explanation and clarification in order to be fully comprehended.
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To assess the coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic by the Ethiopian Herald (government) and Reporter (private) publications from the beginning of February 2020 to the end of March 2021, using newspapers with a 28-day publication, a total of 150 stories were identified for analysis