Ebola in Prime Time: A Content Analysis of Sensationalism and Efficacy Information in U.S. Nightly News Coverage of the Ebola Outbreaks

ABSTRACT

Using a media systems dependency framework, this study looked at media location as a proxy for salience of the Ebola outbreaks in 2014. In unaffected markets where salience was lower, it was hypothesized that news stories would be more sensational and offer less efficacy information as compensation. A total of 1,275 nightly news stories originating from three affected and three unaffected U.S. markets were analyzed. Affected markets were defined as cities where a confirmed case emerged, was treated, or that housed an airport designated as one of the five ports of entry. Unaffected markets did not meet any of these criteria and were not in the same state as any city that did. A statistically significant difference in the average level of sensationalism between the two market types was found (t (1273) = 5.774, p < 0.001), with unaffected markets (M = 0.94, SD = 0.87) having a higher average level of sensationalism than affected markets (M = 0.67, SD = 0.76). There was no statistically significant difference seen in the inclusion of efficacy information between affected and unaffected markets. These findings highlight how specific story elements in news coverage of public health crises may be influenced by media location.

Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank fellow doctoral student, Stephanie Mahin, for assistance with coding.