Sağlık Acil Durumlarının 'Büyük Travma'larını Şekillendirmek: Nijerya’daki Ulusal Gazetelerin COVID-19 Pandemisi Haber Kapsamının Değerlendirilmesi

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışma, dört Nijerya ulusal gazetesinin (Vanguard, Daily Trust, Leadership ve Punch) COVID-19 pandemisini ele alış şekillerini editöryal yöntemler, kaynak stratejileri ve baskın anlatılar üzerinden incelemekte, bunun halk sağlığı iletişimi ve acil durum yönetimi üzerindeki etkilerini değerlendirmektedir. Yöntem: Mart 2020 ile Aralık 2021 arasında yayımlanan 528 gazete sayısındaki 851 makale, içerik analizi yöntemi kullanılarak incelenmiştir. Çalışmada pandemi raporlarında kullanılan ana temaları ve çerçeveleri belirlemek için Entman’ın mikro-frame analizi uygulanmıştır. Veri kodlama ve analiz süreci, haber yerleşimi, türü, kaynak stratejileri ve baskın çerçevelere odaklanmıştır. Bulgular: Sonuçlar, gazetelerin COVID-19'u önleme, tedavi, bulaşma, destek tedbirleri, aşılama ve yanlış bilgi gibi çerçeveler üzerinden ele aldığını göstermektedir. Haberin ön sayfaya yerleştirilmesi kamuoyunun ilgisini artırmıştır. En sık alıntılanan kaynaklar hükümet yetkilileri ve sağlık çalışanları olmuş, bu da haberlerin güvenilirliğini artırmıştır. Ancak, editoryal politikalar ve siyasi ideolojiler tarafından şekillendirilen olumsuz çerçeveleme, kamuoyu algısını etkilemiş ve kriz yönetimini zorlaştırmıştır. Dini ve kültürel önyargılar, yanlış bilgiyle birlikte aşı tereddüdüne katkıda bulunmuştur. İlk haberler ağırlıklı olarak korku ve belirsizliğe odaklansa da zamanla daha dengeli bakış açılarına doğru kaymıştır. Sonuç: Çalışma, medya çerçevelemesinin halk sağlığı müdahaleleri üzerindeki önemli etkisinin altını çizmektedir. Editöryal kararlar ve siyasi eğilimler, Nijerya'nın COVID-19 anlatılarını şekillendirerek kamuoyu güvenini ve kriz yönetimi stratejilerini etkilemiştir. Sağlık acil durum haberciliğini iyileştirmek için medya kuruluşları, dini ve kültürel çerçeveleri bütünleştirmeli, dengeli haberciliğe öncelik vermeli ve kanıta dayalı gazetecilik yoluyla yanlış bilgilendirmeyi önlemelidir.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• Sağlık acil durumları
• Medya çerçevelemesi
• Sağlık iletişimi

Framing the 'Deep Scars' of Health Emergencies: Assessment of National Newspapers Coverage of COVID-19 Pandemic in Nigeria

Abstract

Aim: This study examines how four Nigerian national newspapers, Vanguard, Daily Trust, Leadership, and Punch, framed the COVID-19 pandemic through editorial approaches, sourcing strategies, and dominant narratives, and evaluates the impact on public health communication and emergency management. Method: A total of 851 articles published in 528 newspaper editions between March 2020 and December 2021 were analysed using content analysis. The study applied Entman’s micro-frame analysis to identify the main themes and frames used in reporting the pandemic. The data coding and analysis process focused on news placement, type, sourcing strategies, and dominant frames. Findings: The results show that the newspapers addressed COVID-19 through frames such as prevention, treatment, transmission, support measures, vaccination, and misinformation. Placement of reports on the front page increased public interest. The most frequently cited sources were government officials and health professionals, which enhanced the credibility of the reports. However, negative framing shaped by editorial policies and political ideologies influenced public perception and complicated crisis management. Religious and cultural biases, along with misinformation, contributed to vaccine hesitancy. While early coverage focused heavily on fear and uncertainty, over time, it shifted towards more balanced perspectives. Conclusion: The study underscores the significant influence of media framing on public health responses. Editorial decisions and political leanings shaped Nigeria’s COVID-19 narratives, affecting public trust and crisis management strategies. To improve health emergency reporting, media organisations should integrate religious and cultural frames, prioritise balanced coverage, and counter misinformation through evidence-based journalism.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• Health emergencies
• Media framing
• Health communication

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