Assessment of online newspapers’ framing directions of COVID-19 outbreak data in Nigeria

Literature is scarce on an explorati on of the peculiar mix of the particular directions of framing employed in this study-critical framing, distance framing, empathy framing and support framing. The study sought to compare COVID-19 crisis frame directions in 5 selected Nigerian newspapers. The framing theory was employed as the theoretical framework for this study. A quantitative content analysis was the method adopted for the study. Content analysis data were gathered through the Wayback Machine website archive. Following a critical analysis of 4808 COVID-19 newspaper stories, framing direction findings indicated that Daily Post Newspaper stories largely used support framing, whereas Guardian and Punch Newspaper stories made extensive use of distance framing. Premium Times and Vanguard Newspaper stories used empathy framing. Therefore, this study recommends that in-house-style policies of media houses contain particular instructions on framing directions to reduce media bias and build audience trust. Health bodies (like the N.C.D.C. and the W.H.O.), health reporters and even health authorities can craft health stories in ways that the public can relate to. The stories can be told to encourage mitigation methods and to discourage misinformation, which builds trust in the readership. This study contributes to specific reportage strategies that could help future pandemic situations.