News Framing of the Rohingya Crisis: Content Analysis of Newspaper Coverage from Four Countries

Abstract

The study examines prominent news frames, sources, and refugee characteristics present in coverage of the under-reported Rohingya refugee crisis across newspapers from four nations. Findings show victim, thematic, and administrative frames were most commonly used. Politicians, international organizations, and NGOs were dominant sources, while nationality, age, and gender were frequently used refugee characteristics. Findings suggest positive practices that journalists can incorporate while reporting refugee crises. These include more frequent use of thematic and personalized frames that will help provide holistic background to crises and lead to nuanced portrayals of refugee subjects.

Keywords:

• Refugee representations
• Rohingya
• framing theory
• sources
• refugee characteristics
• comparative
• content analysis
• textual analysis