Coverage of covid-19 on selected Ghanaian online news portals

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic was spreading at an alarming rate and caused a lot of fear in people. This stimulated a certain curiosity in me to find out more about the deadly virus and how the media reported it. Therefore, this study explores how selected Ghanaian online news portals gave coverage to the COVID-19 disease. Employing a qualitative content analysis, the study purposively selected two leading media houses with digital presence. The study explores the salience given to the COVID-19 pandemic by the selected media houses and investigates the frames used by the news portals in reporting on the pandemic. With the aid of the agenda setting and framing theories, the findings revealed that 66% of the news stories concentrated on COVID-19. In addition, the selected news portals framed COVID-19 around disease control, bare statistics, consequence and research and development. The study found that the Ghanaian media gave salience to the issue of COVID-19 in the course of news reportage. Also, frames used in the coverage of COVID-19 stories were in synchrony with the norms and values of the Ghanaian society bringing to bear how media houses re-mould news stories before their final reportage. The study concludes that the Ghanaian media executed its role as an educator through a consistent awareness creation of the pandemic without causing any alarm in the course of executing its educative role. The study will aid journalists to liaise with medical professionals during any disease outbreak. This will ensure accuracy in the reportage of health issues with little to less arousal of fear and panic among audience. The study recommends that Ghanaian media should adopt an early pattern of reportage during health crisis to aid in educating the citizenry to observe all protocols instigated by the government.