Media frames and farmers’ support for the 2018 U.S. trade dispute with China

Abstract

ABSTRACT The U.S.-China trade dispute and the consequent reduction of U.S. agricultural exports to China in 2018 caused significant financial losses to corn and soybean farmers in the American Midwest. The mass media are arguably the most influential information sources that shape citizens’ attitudes toward such political matters. This study first identified the overarching frames employed by the farmers’ top media sources regarding the trade dispute and then compared them against farmers’ level of support for the U.S. trade policy toward China. Results showed stark differences in the frames used by media sources. We also found that farmers’ level of support for America’s tough trade stance on China varied according to the media sources to which they subscribed the most. The findings provide evidence for the influence of news organisations’ political ideology or political leaning on media frame setting and the effects of media frames on the strength of farmers’ support for the retaliatory trade policy toward China.