PRESS COVERAGE OF CORONA VIRUS IN CHINA: A STUDY OF SELECTED INTERNATIONAL NEWSPAPERS

ABSTRACT

This study was an evaluation of the press coverage of corona virus in China: a study of selected international newspapers. The selected newspapers were the online editions of The New York Times and The Guardian (UK). The objectives of the study were to find out the frequency of Corona virus publications in the New York Times and the Guardian (UK) newspapers, ascertain the nature of Corona virus publications in the New York Times and the Guardian (UK) newspapers, determine the direction of Corona virus reports/coverage in the New York Times and the Guardian (UK) newspapers and find out the dominant frames of Corona virus reports in the New York Times and the Guardian (UK) newspapers. The study was anchored on the Agenda setting theory and the research method was content analysis. Online issues of The New York Times and The Guardian UK between July 2020 through December 2021 were content analyzed. Findings from the study showed that the press highly covered corona virus in China between July 2020- December 2020 and that the New York Times and The Guardian (UK) helped sensitized and enlighten the public about corona virus in China while noting its causes, threats, and modes of not contracting it. Based on the findings it was recommended that the press should continue to cover COVID-19 stories in China and other nations as well as sensitize the people against the virus but only do so objectively; and that the international community should be open minded and not allow their already held believes, culture, traditions, and religions make them reject contemporary and credible reports of COVID-19 by the press.