Media Systems and Attention Cycles: Volume and Topics of News Coverage on COVID-19 in the United States and China

Abstract

We examined initial newspaper coverage of the COVID-19 outbreak (January–May 2020) in the United States and China, countries with contrasting media systems and pandemic experiences. We join the context-rich media systems literature and the longitudinal nature of the issue-attention literature to expand each by providing more system-level context for explaining how media cover an issue over time. U.S. coverage peaked later and stayed consistently high, while Chinese coverage was more variable. The most prominent topics in Chinese coverage were related to domestic outbreak response, while U.S. coverage focused on politics, highlighting how issue-attention cycles differ across countries.

A topic among others—examining the attention dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic through interviews with Finnish journalists

“…In this regard, this article supports the notion that the attention dynamics of COVID-19 have differed, to an extent, from other pandemics where peaks have been followed by sharp declines in attention. In contrast, COVID-19 has seen high levels of media attention over a longer period of time ( Wirz et al, 2021 ). In Spain, for example, the interest of local journalists in the pandemic remained high throughout 2020 and 2021 ( Santos-Gonçalves and Napp, 2022 ).…”

“…The amount of media attention reflected the geographic proximity of the virus, and media coverage declined as the spread of the virus abated ( Fox, 2021 ). Analysing COVID-19 news coverage in U.S. and Chinese media, Wirz et al (2021) find that the Chinese media coverage followed a standard issue attention cycle where attention peaks were followed by a decline in news media attention, whereas in the U.S., news media attention remained consistently high during the first months of the pandemic. Wirz et al (2021 : 15) thus suggest that when it comes to high impact pandemics such as COVID-19, traditional issue attention cycles might break down.…”

“…Analysing COVID-19 news coverage in U.S. and Chinese media, Wirz et al (2021) find that the Chinese media coverage followed a standard issue attention cycle where attention peaks were followed by a decline in news media attention, whereas in the U.S., news media attention remained consistently high during the first months of the pandemic. Wirz et al (2021 : 15) thus suggest that when it comes to high impact pandemics such as COVID-19, traditional issue attention cycles might break down. This is supported by the notion that the attention the pandemic received in the Spanish media remained high during 2020 and 2021 ( Santos-Gonçalves and Napp, 2022 ).…”

“…However, less is known about how journalism practice affects the media attention to pandemics. Indeed, much of the scholarly work on infectious diseases and news media attention builds on quantitative data sets ( Arendt and Scherr, 2019 ; Fox, 2021 ; Jung Oh et al, 2012 ; Santos-Gonçalves and Napp, 2022 ; Shih et al, 2008 ; Wirz et al, 2021 ). Qualitative data can help to illuminate how journalistic decision-making affects issue attention dynamics.…”

“…First, this article shows how issue fatigue and issue competition work to render the pandemic less newsworthy. Second, developments in the course of the pandemic affect the attention it receives from the news media (see Hooker et al, 2012 ; Wirz et al, 2021 ). Third, the attention given to a pandemic is affected by the fact that news media organisations strive to strike a balance between informing the public of the risks of the pandemic and alleviating the associated fear (see Klemm et al, 2019 ; Van Antwerpen et al, 2022 ).…”