Understanding COVID-19 Media Framing: Comparative Insights from Germany, the US, and the UK During Omicron

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ABSTRACT This study examines the media framing of COVID-19 reporting in Germany, the United States, and the United Kingdom during the period of the highly contagious Omicron variant from December 2021 to March 2022. By identifying issue-specific media frames using hierarchical cluster analysis, the study gains insights into the distinctive characteristics of journalistic roles within each country and sheds light on the similarities and differences in media framing. Findings reveal that the German Süddeutsche Zeitung prioritizes the economic and Omicron impact on society and reports rather emotionally through evaluations and blame on social issues but frames otherwise quite neutral, reflecting its role in opinion formation and information dissemination. Conversely, the American New York Times takes an objective and informative approach, except similar to the Süddeutsche Zeitung when dealing with social impacts of the pandemic, addressing Omicron, economic impacts, and vaccination challenges while emphasizing shared burdens of the pandemic. The British Guardian gives equal weight to economic and social consequences and the Omicron impact and also raises the issues concerning the healthcare sector. Blame and negative evaluations cross all frames and newspapers, although (emotionally charged) evaluations and accusations are most prevalent in the Guardian, often directed at unvaccinated people and politics.