Mapping news about the mind: Analysing the framing of mental illness by News24 (July 2021 - June 2022)

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dc.contributor.advisorJordaan, Mareneten_ZA
dc.contributor.authorVan Eeden, Margaretha Louisaen_ZA
dc.contributor.otherStellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2023-03-06T12:41:40Z
dc.date.accessioned2023-05-18T07:19:30Z
dc.date.available2023-03-06T12:41:40Z
dc.date.available2023-05-18T07:19:30Z
dc.date.issued2023-03
dc.description Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractENGLISH ABSTRACT: Mental health is an important part of a person’s general health and wellbeing and a basic human right. Good mental health is linked to an improved ability to function, cope and thrive in society. The number of people suffering from some kind of mental illness is increasing rapidly worldwide. Events like the Covid-19 pandemic contribute to widespread psychological distress that pushes this number even higher (WHO, 2022b:xiv). In South Africa it is no different, with statistics on mental illness foreshadowing a dire future. According to the World Health Organisation, South Africa experienced a more than 36.4% increase in the prevalence of anxiety disorders during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and a more than 38.7% increase in the prevalence of depression in the same period. The impact and severity of mental health is widely recognised. However, stigma, discrimination and human rights violations against people suffering from mental illness are still widespread across the world (WHO, 2022b:xiv). The way in which the media report on mental illness and frames it contributes to how it is viewed by society. Questions are often raised about how mental illness is portrayed in the mass media and whether the framing of mental illness in the media is fair and accurate. The Covid-19 pandemic impacted how journalists report on topics such as mental illness and Covid-19’s effects on mental health. This study analysed the framing of mental illness in stories published by South African online news platform News24 during the Covid-19 pandemic over a one-year period between July 2021 and June 2022, in order to explore whether the coverage adheres to the normative expectations of an ethics of care. According to the ethics of care theory, journalists should take care when reporting on vulnerable groups, such as those suffering from mental illness. A literature review brought to light frames generally used by the media when reporting on mental illness. These frames were used as a guide for the qualitative content analysis performed on the sampled stories. During the analysis stories were identified that perpetuate stigmas and stereotypes about mental illness and that draw a link between violence and mental illness. However, the number of stories of a positive nature, with frames of advocacy and awareness, education and destigmatisation, far outweigh the more negative stories. Overall, the framing of mental illness in stories by News24 over the one-year period is mostly constructive and well intentioned, indicating that journalists took care when reporting on this vulnerable group. Nevertheless, there remains room for improvement. Special attention should be given to word choice and sensationalist “clickbait” headlines. The study recommended specific steps the media industry can take to report more carefully about mental illness, and suggested future avenues for research.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Psgiese gesondheid is ’n belangrike aspek van ’n mens se algehele gesondheid en welstand, sowel as ’n basiese mensereg. Goeie psgiese gesondheid word verbind met ’n verhoogde vermoë in die samelewing om te funksioneer en te floreer. Die hoeveelheid mense wat aan ’n vorm van geestesiekte ly, groei wêreldwyd teen rasse skrede. Gebeure soos die Covid-19-pandemie dra by tot wydverspreide sielkundige nood wat hierdie getal verder laat styg (Wêreldgesondheidsorganisasie, 2022b:xiv). Statistieke oor geestesongesteldheid in Suid-Afrika voorspel ook ’n kommerwekkende toekoms. Volgens die Wêreldhandelsorganisasie het die voorkoms van angsversteurings met 36.4% en van depressie met 38.7% gedurende die pandemie in 2020 gestyg. Die impak en erns van psgiese gesondheid word wyd erken. Stigma, diskriminasie en menseregteskendings teen mense wat aan geestesiektes ly, is egter nog wydverspreid in die wêreld (Wêreldgesondheidsorganisasie, 2022b:xiv). Hoe die media oor psgiese gesondheid verslag doen, dra by tot hoe dit deur die samelewing geag word. Massamedia se uitbeelding van psgiese gesondheid word dikwels bevraagteken – bowenal of dit regverdig en akkuraat is. Die pandemie het ’n invloed gehad op hoe joernaliste verslag doen oor onderwerpe soos geestesiektes en Covid-19 se effek op psgiese gesondheid. Hierdie studie het ondersoek ingestel na die uitbeelding van psgiese gesondheid in artikels van die Suid-Afrikaanse aanlynnuusplatform News24 oor een jaar gedurende die pandemie van Julie 2021 tot Junie 2022. Die doel van die studie was om te verken of die uitbeelding voldoen aan die normatiewe verwagtings wat etiek van sorg vereis. Volgens die etiek van sorg moet joernaliste sorg toepas wanneer hulle verslag doen oor kwesbare groepe, soos mense wat aan geestesiektes ly. ’n Literatuurstudie het die ramingsteorie uitgelig en spesifieke rame ontbloot wat die media gebruik in verslagdoening oor psgiese gesondheid. Hierdie rame is as ’n maatstaf gebruik vir die kwalitatiewe inhoudsanalise van die artikels in die steekproef. In dié analise is artikels geïdentifiseer wat stigma en stereotipes oor geestesiektes laat bevestig of versterk, sowel as artikels wat geweld met geestesiektes verbind. Baie meer algemeen as hierdie artikels was egter die aantal artikels met ’n positiewe inslag teenoor psgiese gesondheid, wat rame insluit soos bewusmaking en ondersteuning, opvoeding en destigmatisering. In die geheel is die uitbeelding van mense wat aan geestesiektes ly in News24-artikels oor die een-jaar-periode meestal opbouend en goed bedoel, wat aandui dat joernaliste sorg toegepas het in hul verslagdoening oor hierdie kwesbare groep. Daar is wel steeds ruimte vir verbetering. Aandag moet geskenk word aan woordkeuse en sensasie-skeppende opskrifte. Dié studie beveel spesifieke stappe aan wat die mediabedryf kan neem om met meer sorg oor geestesongesteldheid verslag te doen, sowel as toekomstige studierigtings.af_ZA
dc.description.versionMastersen_ZA
dc.format.extentxi, 87 pagesen_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/127386
dc.language.isoen_ZAen_ZA
dc.publisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.rights.holderStellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshMental illness in mass media -- South Africaen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshMedia24 (Firm)en_ZA
dc.subject.lcshJournalists -- Health aspects -- South Africaen_ZA
dc.subject.nameUCTD
dc.titleMapping news about the mind: Analysing the framing of mental illness by News24 (July 2021 - June 2022)en_ZA
dc.typeThesisen_ZA
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