The Framing of Africa in Turkish Newspapers

Öz

Media plays a crucial role in shaping audience perceptions and interpretations of events through framing, which emphasizes specific issues while downplaying or ignoring others. Previous research on Africa’s media portrayal has consistently shown that non-African outlets often depict the continent in an unfairly negative light, reinforcing stereotypes and limiting a nuanced understanding of African realities. However, little research has explored how Turkish media frames Africa. This study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative content analysis and framing analysis, to examine how Turkish newspapers represent Africa. It investigates the dominant frames used in African news coverage, the frequency and types of African stories reported, and the distinctions in framing between North and Sub-Saharan Africa. By analyzing a broad dataset of news articles, the study identifies patterns in Turkish media discourse on Africa and evaluates the implications of these representations. Findings indicate that Turkish newspapers predominantly apply the responsibility frame, which appears in 44.3% of all Africa-related news. Political news is the most frequently reported category, emphasizing governance, diplomacy, and security-related issues. Furthermore, over 99% of African news coverage comprises event-based reporting rather than original investigative journalism, limiting deeper engagement with African affairs. The study also reveals significant differences between North and Sub-Saharan African coverage. North Africa receives more media attention, and regional reports frequently adopt the responsibility frame. In contrast, Sub-Saharan Africa is covered less extensively, with a higher prevalence of the human-interest frame, often focusing on social and humanitarian issues. These findings contribute to a broader understanding of how Turkish media constructs narratives about Africa and the potential implications for public perception and international relations.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Framing
• Africa
• Turkish Newspapers
• Frames
• Representation

Türk Gazetelerinde Afrika’nın Çerçevelenmesi

Öz

Medya, belirli konuların bazı yönlerini vurgularken diğerlerini göz ardı ederek veya önemsizleştirerek çerçeveleme yoluyla izleyici yorumlarını ve algılarını etkiler. Afrika'nın medyadaki temsiline ilişkin önceki araştırmalar, Afrika dışındaki medya kuruluşlarının kıtayı çoğunlukla haksız bir şekilde olumsuz gösterdiğini ortaya koymuştur. Bu çalışma, Afrika'nın Türk gazetelerinde nasıl çerçevelendiğini incelemek için niceliksel ve niteliksel içerik analizi ile çerçeveleme analizini bir arada kullanmaktadır. Çalışma, Afrika'nın genel çerçevelenişini, Afrika ile ilgili haber türlerini, bu haberlerin özelliklerini ve Kuzey Afrika ile Sahra Altı Afrika arasındaki haber kapsamı ve çerçeveleme farklılıklarını araştırmaktadır. Bulgular, Türk gazetelerinin Afrika ile ilgili haberlerinde ağırlıklı olarak sorumluluk çerçevesini kullandığını ve bu çerçevenin Afrika ile ilgili haberlerin %44,3'ünü oluşturduğunu göstermektedir. Siyasi haberler en sık yayımlanan haber kategorisi olarak öne çıkarken, Türk gazetelerindeki Afrika haberlerinin %99'undan fazlasının gazetelerin kendi araştırmalarından ziyade olayları kapsadığı dikkat çekmektedir. Kuzey Afrika ve Sahra Altı Afrika'nın haber kapsamında da önemli farklılıklar bulunmaktadır. Kuzey Afrika, Sahra Altı Afrika'ya göre daha fazla medya ilgisi görürken, çerçeveleme biçimi de değişiklik göstermektedir: Kuzey Afrika haberlerinde sorumluluk çerçevesi daha yaygın kullanılırken, Sahra Altı Afrika ile ilgili haberlerde insan ilgisi çerçevesi daha sık tercih edilmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Çerçeveleme
• Afrika
• Türk Gazeteleri
• Çerçeve
• Temsil

Kaynakça

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