Framing Arab Spring Conflict : A Visual Analysis of Coverage on Five Transnational Arab News Channels

Abstract

Guided by framing theory, a quantitative content analysis was conducted on news programming from five transnational satellite news channels that broadcast to/from the Arab world-Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English, Al Arabiya, Alhurra, and BBC Arabic. The project examined if differences exist between the networks, and between two dimensions of a network taxonomy-western and liberal commercial-in how Arab Spring news selection and content was visually framed. A systematic comparative analysis was conducted on visual coverage of the civil unrest in Tunisia, Algeria, Yemen, Egypt, Libya, and Syria. Three entire newscasts from each network airing between December, 2010 and June, 2011, were analyzed. The data from 1,951 shots reveal both similarities and differences in how the networks utilized the human interest and political frames in their Arab Spring coverage. Results revealed no difference in the application of the human interest frame between western and liberal networks. However, the comparison between the individual networks revealed that Alhurra invoked the political frame more often than Al Jazeera and BBC Arabic.

Digital Media Framing of the Egyptian Arab Spring: Comparing Al Jazeera, BBC and China Daily

“…In addition, their comparative analysis of American and French news organizations found that on the aforementioned situations, the US media strongly relied more on the political authorities than the French ones. As far as 'Arab Spring' is concerned, Bruce (2014) proved the findings of Benson & Hallin (2007), which suggest that in times of unrest the western media outlets tend to rely more on the political authorities. Furthermore, many reporters described the Egyptian 'Arab Spring' as a story of civil unrest.…”

“…This finding depends on the results of the other researchers of the field (Benson & Hallin, 2007;Bruce, 2014). Meanwhile, the Chinese news outlet was the only one that contained an economic framed news story.…”

“…Subsequently, the research on the topic of 'Arab Spring' proved that there was some specific category of frames that were used by the news organizations. Bruce (2014) found that Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English, Al Arabiya, Alhurra, and BBC Arabic included in their coverage a dominant use of the 'Human interest frame'. The latter is one of the most usual frames that can be found in war coverage (Neuman et al 1992;Semetko & Valkenburg, 2000) as it helps to sensationalize facts and events.…”

Images of Conflict and Explicit Violence on Arab TV: A Visual Content Analysis of Five pan-Arab News Networks

“…The current study -part of a larger research project (Bruce, 2012;2014;2016) -employed a content analysis, which examined visual images presented by five Arab media outlets -Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English, Alhurra, BBC Arabic, and Al Arabiya. The five networks were chosen because they represent some of the most popular and controversial 24-hour news channels in the Arab world.…”

Discursive Strategies and Media Representation of Conflicts

“…One of the most important developments has been the favourable treatment of Arabs by the media but a sea-change representation of Arabs in the US was not claimed as the media continued to promote their right wing polices (Salaita, 2012). The coverage of the Arab Spring unrest in Tunisia, Algeria, Yemen, Egypt, Libya, and Syria by five transitional Arab news channels Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English, Al Arabiya, Alhurra and BBC Arabic revealed similarities in the media practice of applying human interest and political frames (Bruce, 2014). The media also framed the Arab Spring by using military vocabulary due to involvement of the Egyptian military in the conflict-representing civil demonstrations as a military battle.…”