Framing the SARS Crisis: A Computer-Assisted Text Analysis of CNN and BBC Online News Reports of SARS

Abstract

This study compared how CNN and BBC framed the SARS crisis. Framing theory provided the theoretical framework for the study, and CatPac, a computer program for text analysis, was used to conduct the analysis. With CatPac the authors were able to identify the frequency of concepts and the semantic relationship among the highly frequent concepts from the CNN and BBC reports on SARS. A total of 332 reports from CNN's website and 408 reports from BBC's website were downloaded and analyzed. The results suggested that while CNN and BBC framed the SARS crisis in different ways, there were many more similarities. Furthermore, possible factors contributing to these differences and similarities were discussed.