Media Coverage of Covid-19 in Ethiopia: Comparative Analysis of Ethiopian Television and Fana Television
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Date
2021-07
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AAU
Abstract
Considering the importance of media coverage in influencing attitude and knowledge of the
public, this study assessed news coverage of COVID-19 in Ethiopia, comparing the coverage of
ETV 57 and Fana 90. The major purpose of the study was to explore media coverage and its role
in controlling the spread of the COVID -19 pandemic in Ethiopia. Media coverage was analyzed
using quantitative and qualitative content analysis approach; in terms of time allocation,
frequency of coverage of specific news stories and with regard to how news topics were framed
in the two media. The content analysis was supported by key informant interviews with selected
experts and officials from the two media. For the content analysis, a total of 70 days news videos
(5 days per month for 7 months, for each media); that is, in total 3,885 minutes of news stories
were analyzed. Major results indicated that the two media provided good coverage of COVID 19, but ETV gave higher proportion of coverage to COVID-19 related news than Fana
Television: i.e., 23% of the total 42 minutes of ETV news than 18% of the 70 minutes news of
Fana was allocated to COVID-19 related news. Immediately, after the first COVID-19 cases
were reported in Ethiopia, both media - Fana and ETV news - gave high attention for the issue
and coverage of COVID-19 related news was very high. However, coverage of COVID-19 news
started to decline through time. The focus of the two media shifted from COVID-19 news to other
emergencies due to political instabilities and conflicts. Furthermore, analysing the type of
frames employed by the media, it is found that news stories of the two media were dominated by
constructive framing which accounted for about 64% of the total time allocated for COVID-19
related news, while fear framing accounted only for about 28% the news stories. Constructive
framing in total was reported by 111 news stories which is where Fana reported many news
stories using constructive frame (57) as compared to ETV (54). The two media contributed in
informing and creating awareness towards the pandemic and the public to follow recommended
preventive measures. However, the decline in the media coverage through time by both media
can also contribute to a declining attention by the public and government towards the disease.
Hence, this study, indicating a close relationship between media coverage and the contribution
they can play in controlling the spread of the disease, recommends a regular media coverage
with well researched understanding of the possible spread and effects of the pandemic.
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Keywords
media coverage in influencing attitude and knowledge of the public