Online newspapers as significant agenda-setters in time of Covid-19

Mohamed, Shafizan (2020) Online newspapers as significant agenda-setters in time of Covid-19. In: WAPOR Asia Kuala Lumpur 2020 Virtual Conference, 9th-10th November 2020, Kuala Lumpur. (Unpublished)

	PDF (Acceptance letter and certificate) - Supplemental Material Restricted to Repository staff only Download (23MB) | Request a copy
	PDF (Slides) - Presentation Restricted to Repository staff only Download (1MB) | Request a copy

Abstract

This study uses the agenda-setting approach to find the extent to which issues raised by the media have become public issues. The objective of the study is to identify the agenda set by the newspapers on the general public during a time when the audience is concerned with the pandemic. Are the newspaper reporting on the COVID0-19 and related issues or are they driven to provide other issues aimed to distract the attention of the audience? Likewise, do the audience members embrace the agenda set by the media or are they left alone to determine the agenda of interest given the unusual circumstances of the pandemic? A content analysis on 2400 news articles from four online papers (two in English and two in Malay) were made in the month of June while a public opinion study was made on 820 adults in July, 2020. The issues raised by the online newspapers and the general public were analysed to see whether the concept of agenda setting is still significant. The question asked, as normally the case in agenda setting studies, is what is the general issue of national importance that “you think is important facing the country today.” The question asked was an open-ended question and the numerous issues identified were then collapsed into 18 meaningful categories. A similar group of categories were also made for the contents of the online media. The results showed that despite the availability of numerous sources of information, newspapers are still significant agenda-setters.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Slide Presentation)
Additional Information:	5172/85165
Uncontrolled Keywords:	COVID-19, Agenda Setting, Newspapers, Malaysia, Public Opinion
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) > H61 Theory. Method H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) > H61.8 Communication of information H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) > H93 Popular works R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button):	Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences > Department of Communication
Depositing User:	Dr Shafizan Mohamed
Date Deposited:	02 Dec 2020 09:55
Last Modified:	02 Dec 2020 09:58
URI:	http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/85165

Actions (login required)

View Item