Abstract
This study examines the coverage in online news portals of female spouses of presidential candidates during the campaign prior to Ghana’s 2016 general elections. The study sought to uncover the ways in which female spouses of presidential candidates of the 2016 general elections in Ghana were portrayed through the lens of framing, gender and social constructionism theories. A total of 1252 paragraphs were analysed from online news portals of Citifmonline, Myjoyonline, Ghanaweb, Peacefmonline, Graphiconline and Pulsegh over a period of four months from August 2016 to November 2016 using qualitative research approach. Through content analysis, the findings showed that the coverage of the female spouses was predominantly positive and gendered. The female spouses were framed as: active in politics and policy discourses; assertive; and, motivational on issues on the campaign trail. The study concludes that the media gave the female spouses adequate coverage in terms of quantity and quality. However, the coverage reflected elements of gender as a constructed social norm or reality. Finally, contrary to what is dominant in the literature on gender representations in the media, the female spouses were not presented negatively neither were the media insensitive in their reportage. They were portrayed as subverting the traditional gender roles or, on few occasions, affirming them. Keywords: online news portals, female spouses of presidential candidates, framing, social constructionism, gender, elections in Ghana DOI: 10.7176/NMMC/94-02 Publication date: December 31 st 2020
Highlights
A new trend has emerged regarding the rate and level at which spouses of presidential candidates participate in campaigns leading to elections
In the campaign leading to the 2016 general elections in Ghana for instance, the spouses of the presidential candidates of the two major political parties, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC), in addition to their escort role, actively campaigned for their husbands to be voted into power
Findings and Discussion This section presents the findings from the data retrieved and analysed using the theories of gender, framing and social constructionism
Summary
A new trend has emerged regarding the rate and level at which spouses of presidential candidates participate in campaigns leading to elections. Female spouses of presidential candidates fulfilled the inherent escort role played by spouses of presidential candidates. This role makes them visible rather than heard (Zeldes, 2009). In the campaign leading to the 2016 general elections in Ghana for instance, the spouses of the presidential candidates of the two major political parties, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC), in addition to their escort role, actively campaigned for their husbands to be voted into power. The women were portrayed as very active in every major event in the various media outlets including print, broadcast and online. Considering the contributions of these women and how the media adeptly projected them into limelight, this study investigates the coverage given to them in online news portals owing to the fact the latter, as an aspect of new media, has diffused remarkably widely among consumers of news in Ghana
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