News Framing and Platform Affordances in Social Media

Abstract

ABSTRACT Framing refers to the construction of narratives with specific intentions, emphasizing certain aspects of the story and omitting or obscuring others, thus affecting how audiences perceive social reality. Since the 1960s, journalism researchers have been interested in this phenomenon, developing multiple theories. This research seeks to analyze how framing connects with the affordances of platforms in international conflict news narration on official Instagram and Twitter profiles of Spanish and Qatari media. By examining these platforms, we can delve deeper into the use of framing adapted to the digital environment and explore nuances and implications. To this end, we meticulously analyzed 251 Instagram and Twitter posts from three leading newspapers in both countries, applying grounded theory through an abductive content analysis. This comprehensive approach allowed us to define codes that help us understand how the affordances of the platforms impact the construction of meaning and the establishment of new frames. In conclusion, this study sheds light on how this digital scenario contributes to the deployment of digital frames derived from the unique affordances provided by these platforms, ultimately shaping our perception, and understanding of news narratives and offering insights into the evolving nature of media communications.