Media Depictions Research Articles

Intensive Care Unit Memories and Trauma Triggers for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Survivors Hospitalized During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Intensive care unit (ICU) admissions can be traumatic for critically ill, ventilated acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients due to fear of death, an inability to verbally communicate, reliance on health care professionals, and invasive medical interventions. Adult ARDS patients hospitalized during the COVID-19 pandemic were strictly isolated and had limited to no visitation from loved ones, impacting their access to support systems. To explore the memories and sensory triggers for them (if applicable) of adult ARDS survivors hospitalized during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study used a phenomenological design with an interpretative descriptive approach. Semistructured interviews with open-ended questions were conducted with survivors. Thematic analysis of 16 ARDS survivors' responses to ICU memories and sensory triggers questions was completed to identify the most prevalent themes. Major themes for vivid memories included (1) altered reality, (2) vivid nonsense dreams, (3) medical treatment/procedures, and (4) feeling lonely/isolated. Themes for triggers included (1) seeing doctors/nurses/hospitals and medical equipment or seeing/hearing media depictions of them, (2) hearing ringtones and beeping/alarms, (3) seeing/hearing helicopters, (4) smelling cleaning products, and (5) seeing/touching scars. Fifteen of the 16 ARDS survivors reported traumatic vivid memories, often triggered by sensory stimuli they encountered in their everyday lives. It is important for acute care and outpatient nurses to understand the impact of an ICU admission on ARDS survivors' mental health, so they can adopt evidence-based interventions to prevent or limit these effects.

Impact media portrays on police legitimacy in times of emergencies: a global perspective

PurposeThe swift development of digital platforms and the intricate nature of socialization processes have greatly impacted how young people perceive the legitimacy of the police. This study investigates the influence of different media platforms and methods of socialization in emergencies on the attitudes and beliefs about law enforcement among young individuals. The aim of this review paper is to consolidate existing literature on the influence of various forms of media and social contacts shaping youth attitudes towards the legitimacy of the police, within distinct social and cultural contexts.Design/methodology/approachThe literature was reviewed narratively, with a focus on major digital bibliographic databases for the purpose of selecting studies. This approach facilitated the examination of overarching concepts across several fields of study in order to develop a thorough comprehension of how media and socialization in emergencies influence young people’s perceptions of the legitimacy of the police. Three major themes were discovered, encompassing the connection of three different theories with the youth perceptions of police legitimacy, impacts from different media sources like news, entertainment and social media and the influence of important socialization agents like family, peers and community.FindingsThe review confirms that the media, regardless of whether it presents good or bad images, has a major impact on the views of youngsters towards the police. It influences their opinions of how trustworthy and legitimate the police are. Modeling and reinforcement, which are key components of social learning, play a crucial role in influencing the impact of media on young people. Community and family connections have significant influence, either strengthening or lessening the effects of media depictions. Although media has the ability to promote understanding and regard for law enforcement, it was also observed that there are challenges associated with the reinforcement of preconceptions and biases.Practical implicationsThis research offers fundamental ideas for creating educational and community initiatives that improve positive media depictions of law enforcement and bolster community–police interactions. Additionally, it provides a framework for future studies on media approaches that could facilitate the development of a well-rounded understanding of the legitimacy of law enforcement among young people.Originality/valueThis literature review combines social learning and cognitive theories with empirical research on media to examine the complex and varied effects of media and socialization on how young people perceive the legitimacy of the police. It emphasizes the necessity for a sophisticated comprehension of these connections within the framework of current social dynamics and advancements in technology.

Indigenous Environmental Activism and Media Depiction

Media bias is a reality of the infoglut we are bombarded with every day. However, we often consider bias to be consigned to the textual realm of information. I argue that anything human-mediated holds bias, including photographs. Because of this, I propose reading the performance of Indigenous-led environmental activism through media representation, specifically photographs used in media coverage of Indigenous environmental activism. This paper considers open-access media photographs of Indigenous-led environmental protests, such as the Kanehsatake Resistance (1990) and Wet’suwet’en Blockade (2020), as springboards for practicing ethical reading. As a settler-scholar, this work is mostly geared towards a settler-scholar or non-Indigenous audience interested in Indigenous literary studies, as a way to find tools to engage in this scholarship. The purpose of this article is to elucidate media bias as a way of informing our individual teaching and learning practice, as well as shaping how we engage with and talk about Indigenous issues. While all public activism engages with some levels of performance, the performance itself and larger narrative being told by the activists is filtered through who is able to tell the story. Here, I use a methodology that I am developing as part of my ongoing dissertation work, Critical Dispositioning, which is an ethical reading praxis designed for settlers to use when engaging with Indigenous literatures. Critical Dispositioning requires community-specific reading of Indigenous materials and rejects settler imposition or appropriation of Indigenous voices and texts. This work is essential in building anti-racist practices and equity, diversity, and inclusion into the classroom space, as well as a tool for consideration when building syllabi.

'Some Days Are Not a Good Day to Be a Mum': Exploring Lived Experiences of Guilt and Shame in the Early Postpartum Period.

The first 16 weeks postpartum are particularly challenging for a new mother and are associated with an elevated risk of experiencing psychological distress. Guilt and shame have been identified as significant predictors of other forms of psychological distress, such as anxiety and depression. However, guilt and shame are poorly distinguished in pre-existing literature. The current study used inductive thematic analysis to explore lived experiences of guilt and shame in the early postpartum period. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 women who had given birth in the past 16 weeks and who were residing in the UK at the time of the investigation. All those interviewed had internalised unrealistic mothering ideals. Physical constraints on one's parenting abilities, due to birth recovery, exacerbated postpartum guilt and shame. Other sources of guilt and shame included body dissatisfaction and making comparisons against other mothers and media depictions of motherhood. Participants were hesitant to confide in others about parenting challenges due to fears of judgement, which perpetuated the shame-concealment cycle. Future research should prioritise the development of interventions designed to target a harsh parenting inner critic, and the re-framing of cognitive biases, to nurture more realistic and self-compassionate beliefs about motherhood. For practice, current findings mirror previous calls for intimate partners to be actively included in routine appointments, to provide healthcare practitioners with specialist training in postpartum mental health, and to educate mothers on responsible social media use.

Political tools or ‘supercrips’? Civilian interpretation of wounded veterans at the Canada army run

ABSTRACT The figure of the wounded veteran is a significant problem for the state as visual wounds make manifest the toll of war. If not appropriately mediated, veteran injury may communicate to the public that the cost of war is too high. The state and media organizations working on its behalf thus manage mediated representations in ways that rehabilitate the wounded veteran, communicating narratives of redemption, hope, and overcoming. Significant work has critiqued the political work of mediated depictions of wounded veteran-athletes at events like the Invictus Games and Paralympics, but little work has explored civilian responses. This paper explores civilian responses to the presence of wounded veterans at a military-themed amateur athletic event, the Canada Army Run, as determined through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 40 event participants. Though wounded veteran-athletes comprise a tiny minority of Army Run participants, their presence captures the imagination of many civilian runners. Analysing civilian participants’ interpretation of wounded veteran-athletes allows for insight into the degree to which rehabilitative discourses dominating media depiction of wounded veterans at the Invictus Games and Paralympics has permeated the popular imaginary. I found that while veteran injury was often taken for granted as inevitable, veterans’ wounds generated significant support for servicepeople specifically, and to a lesser extent the Canadian Armed Forces at large. However, affects of sympathy and support did not preclude critique of veteran treatment by the state, demonstrating that even at explicitly pro-military events space for dissent is possible.

Navigating the digital classroom: a qualitative content analysis of MOOC discourses in Indian e-newspapers

PurposeThis paper aims to explore and unravel the contents portrayed in online news discourses on massive open online courses (MOOCs). Considering sociological dimensions and journalistic strategies, this study examines how online news media reflects, shapes and informs narratives about the social acceptance and use of the MOOC model of learning.Design/methodology/approachUsing the Gioia methodology as the overarching framework, this study adopted a two-staged qualitative content analysis of 1,162 online news items from the websites of the top seven online English newspapers of India, published between May 2012 and September 2023. In subsequent semi-structured interviews with subject matter experts, broad themes were identified. In addition, this study integrated Van Dijk’s ideological square model with media content theories to comprehensively analyze the intricate complexities in media depictions of MOOCs.FindingsWhile manifest content analysis revealed the emergence of 25 categories, latent content analysis unveiled six broad themes: “announcements, user stages, characteristics, benefits, changing facets, and educational inequalities,” which are associated with the MOOC model. Application of Van Dijk’s model evidenced the usage of a positive self-representation strategy by Indian online news media until mid-2020. The application of media content theories underscored the predominant usage of reframing as a journalistic strategy to maintain reader interest in MOOC-related content in online news items, emphasizing the dynamic nature of media portrayals of social phenomena such as MOOCs.Practical implicationsThe depth of MOOC-related coverage and the increasing number of news articles discussing MOOCs in Indian online media signify a growing acceptance of this educational innovation in society. Insights from emergent themes can aid administrators and platforms to effectively design and deliver future courses. In addition, understanding these themes can guide the development of media strategies to address contextual issues such as educational inequalities arising from MOOCs. This study also focuses on the necessity of upholding journalistic ethics in content dissemination.Originality/valueThis study provides a comprehensive synthesis of various themes and journalistic strategies adopted by online news media over the last decade in MOOC-based narratives in India. Given the distinctive Indian context, wherein MOOCs are growing rapidly amid widening digital inequalities, this research addresses calls within information systems literature to explore this phenomenon. It pioneers the integration of communication and mass media theories to analyze the complex sociological dynamics in news discourses on MOOCs, offering a novel perspective on the intersection of media representation and educational innovation.

A qualitative study of sources of knowledge in individuals with hoarding disorder: The impact of media depictions and social comparisons

Hoarding disorder (HD) affects approximately 2.5% of the population, and is characterized by persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions, distress associated with discarding, and resulting clutter or congestion that compromises the utility of living areas. Individuals with HD frequently have poor insight, resulting in difficulty identifying their symptoms as a problem, and relatively few individuals with HD seek and remain engaged in treatment. At the same time, HD has been increasingly prominent in the media, especially in television shows that dramatize the disorder through the depiction of individuals with extreme hoarding symptoms. These shows have both increased public awareness of the disorder and influenced social attitudes surrounding HD. We sought to understand the self-concept of individuals with HD through a qualitative study of their information gathering about HD, the ways they related HD as a disease to their own behavior, and their concept of their behavior as a problem that required treatment. We hypothesized that this process of seeking understanding about HD would play an important role in informing participants’ conception of the breadth and severity of their own symptoms, their own stigmatizing beliefs towards HD, and their willingness to seek treatment. After semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with individuals (N = 59) in the United States meeting diagnostic criteria for HD, four main themes were identified: 1) Reacting to media depictions, 2) Identifying HD behaviors in others 3) Quantifying HD behavior in self, and 4) Seeking information and help. From these major themes, several sub-themes emerged, including help-seeking behavior, disgust and distress reactions to HD media, stereotypical beliefs about HD, and motivating experiences through exposure to HD media. Our findings suggest that individuals exhibiting symptoms that meet diagnostic criteria for HD understood HD as a disease primarily through media depictions, although other sources of information were sometimes accessed. They also engaged in comparisons between their own behavior and those of others they thought had HD, and used these comparisons to determine whether their behavior constituted HD or was severe enough to require treatment. Our study suggests that media depictions may have a significant influence on these determinations, and that individuals with HD might benefit from accurate psychoeducation about HD, possibly including the role and/or effect of comparisons between self and others, to help individuals towards seeking treatment.

In Search of a Safe Harbour: The Framing of Venezuelan Migrants in Mainstream Newspapers in Trinidad and Tobago

Driven by national, political and socio-economic circumstances in Venezuela, there has been a mass influx of Venezuelan migrants into Trinidad and Tobago (T&T). Conditions in T&T have affected the receptivity of Venezuelan migrants. Using framing as the theoretical lens, this study extends research on media depictions of migrants into a Caribbean context by examining ways in which the mainstream newspapers in T&T presented Venezuelan migrants over a one-year period. Results reveal that although there is some attention to Venezuelan migrants’ integration into life in T&T, such attention is limited. Primarily, T&T newspapers other Venezuelan migrants by labelling and clustering them and highlighting their association with crime, human rights challenges they face and the State’s response. Such depictions have the potential to signal the manner in which Venezuelan migrants are seen and treated. We discuss the implications of these representations in relation to the existing literature and offer recommendations moving forward.

Author Meets Critics: Advertising Revolutionary: The Life and Work of Tom Burrell

Abstract: In this roundtable, Dr. Jason Chambers discusses his book Advertising Revolutionary: The Life and Work of Tom Burrell (University of Illinois Press, 2024), which focuses on Tom Burrell's influence on African American representation in advertising. Participants, including scholars and industry professionals, examine Burrell's leadership style, shaped by his experiences at agencies like Leo Burnett and Needham, where he faced imposter syndrome and challenges in getting his creative work recognized. These experiences inspired his approach to nurturing African American talent and fostering cultural sensitivity. Participants also detail Burrell's philosophy of "positive realism," which focused on authentic, positive portrayals of Black life versus stereotypical media depictions. Burrell's upbringing, particularly his relationship with his father and his mother's chronicling of his career, also influenced his determination and leadership. The conversation covers the generational shift in leadership at Burrell Communications and the ongoing challenges of diversity and authentic representation in the industry. The discussion concludes with advice for future image-makers focused on resilience, cultural understanding, and meaningful engagement with diverse audiences—all of which were keys to Burrell's success and legacy.

Gender-Based Violence and Legal Responses: Analyzing the Effectiveness of Legal Frameworks

Many international legislation, public education campaigns, and legal action programs have been launched in response to the United Nations' recognition of gender-based violence against women as a pressing global health and development concern. This article discusses new conceptual frameworks, methodological problems, and selected research findings to guide these endeavours. Recent research has shown links between sexuality, gender, power, and intimate violence in a variety of nations, and this article reviews such studies. Further, it draws attention to cultural elements—like media depictions of sex and violence—that can make women more susceptible to abuse. Unwanted pregnancies and abortions are just two of the many harmful behavioral, emotional, and physical health outcomes of victimization that are discussed in the article. More research is urgently needed to fill gaps in our knowledge about gender-based violence, its dynamics, and its impacts, particularly the role of the media, as well as to explain why different forms of violence have different consequences in different cultural settings.

Survivor TV Shows and the Risk of Muscle Dysmorphia

This review paper investigates the correlation between the portrayal of physical fitness and strength in 'Survivor' television programs and the risk of developing muscle dysmorphia—a body image disorder characterized by an obsessive concern with perceived insufficient muscularity. The article examines how these programs, which frequently highlight participants with highly developed and physically strong bodies, may influence viewers' perceptions of an ideal physique. This influence could lead to increased dissatisfaction with one's own body and contribute to the onset or exacerbation of muscle dysmorphia. Through an analysis of various case studies, research findings, and surveys, this review explores the broader impact of media on individual body image perceptions. Additionally, it evaluates strategies to mitigate the negative effects of these shows on viewers, such as promoting media literacy, offering psychological support, and implementing public health initiatives. The findings underscore the importance of understanding the media's role in shaping mental well-being, particularly in relation to body image disorders like muscle dysmorphia. This review aims to shed light on the relationship between 'Survivor' TV shows and muscle dysmorphia, emphasizing the need for critical media analysis and the promotion of positive body image.

Advancing research on femicide prevention: A mixed methods approach.

Femicide, the killing of women, girls, and infants, is a pervasive problem affecting all global societies. Policy and research are impeded by inaccurate and missing prevalence data, gaps in understanding of femicide, especially for hard-to-reach marginalized populations, and conflicting perceptions between jurisdictions. Leveraging on a combined socio-ecologic model and Public Health approach, the paper spans the methods of a computed tomography-based injury study, an in-depth media-analysis, a legislation evaluation study, and a data barriers' study. Injury patterns, media depiction, and end-user consultations will close the loop on residual problems such as implementation, data gaps, and cultural perceptions. By mixed methods research representing multiple regions, and stakeholders, this project will enhance knowledge on interpersonal, institutional, and societal factors of femicide, advancing the humanitarian forensic discipline. The research method will identify emerging trends and facilitate improvements in tertiary prevention of femicide, specific to resource settings.

Unpacking women’s work during the COVID-19 pandemic in India: a feminist analysis of mainstream print media

ABSTRACT This paper explores mainstream print media depictions of women’s work during COVID-19 and associated lockdowns in India. Specifically, it aims to understand perceptions of educated upper- and middle-class women regarding remote working arrangements during the pandemic. It delineates two broad themes that emerge from an analysis of selected articles in four national dailies; first, many women regarded these arrangements as mutually beneficial for women employees as well as their workplaces, and its counternarrative characterised by women having to juggle paid and care work with little support from the family, market or state. The paper then unpacks the arrangement of work from home that emerges in the media analysis and offers a critique of the simplistic and binary understanding of flexibility, choice, and agency sustained by the neoliberal and postfeminist framing of pandemic work arrangements. Our analysis provides a feminist critique of these dominant perceptions that invisibilise the complexity and heterogeneity embedded within women’s experiences. Finally, the paper reiterates the urgent need to consider the structural factors that undermine gender equality across work and home; and pushes for a rethink of neoliberal and postfeminist notions of ‘flexibility’, ‘choice’ and ‘agency’ through the intersecting lenses of gender, labour, care work, and time.

Abortion in entertainment media, 2019-2024.

Entertainment media contribute to how people understand and make sense of health issues, especially stigmatized ones such as abortion. This paper reviews the peer-reviewed literature published between 2019 and 2024 on how abortion is depicted in scripted television and film available for viewing in the United States. The majority of recent studies focus on qualitative content analysis of a composite of television shows, documenting the myriad ways that these programs reflect and are distinct from the reality of abortion access in the United States. The quantitative studies find small but significant increases in abortion knowledge related to exposure to television abortion plotlines, but no increases in support for abortion postexposure. No studies track the impact of exposure to multiple abortion plotlines at multiple points in time. Only one study included a sample of entertainment content creators to understand their motivations for creating abortion plotlines. Media depictions of abortion are often rife with misinformation, and may influence the U.S. public's general knowledge and beliefs about abortion. More research is needed to understand possible relationships between television and film abortion content and its impact on viewers.

Mediatisation, the Ambivalent Preservation of Cultural Tradition, and the Appeal of Luxurious Death in Toraja, Indonesia: Social Media Depictions of Rambu Solo in a Digital Age

ABSTRACT This article analyses how and why, in the digital age of interconnectivity, the Toraja funeral ceremony known as Rambu Solo (or ‘descending smoke’) has become increasingly mediatised. Prominently featured on Instagram and Facebook, Toraja content creators emphasise its luxury over its cultural values, epitomising the contemporary mediatisation of ceremonial practices. By depicting it so elaborately, these creators may inadvertently reinforce the perception of a luxurious funeral as an obligation for all social classes in Toraja, potentially leading to significant and enduring socioeconomic implications for individuals and the broader Toraja community. By demonstrating how content creators exploit social media to commodify public fascination with the distinctive Rambu Solo ceremony for economic and political gain, this article challenges the assumption of both Indonesian and Western scholars that the exposure of traditions on social media invariably supports cultural preservation. Instead, it reveals complex dynamics whereby the intersection of mediatisation and social media can simultaneously act as agents of both cultural commodification and redefinition. These findings offer a new perspective in this field, highlighting its ambivalence and prompting a re-evaluation of how we perceive the preservation and promotion of cultural tradition in the age of social media’s transformative power.

AI GENERATIVE CHATBOT IN THE MEDIA: JOURNALISTIC COVERAGE OF CHATGPT IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

In diffusion research, journalistic coverage is acknowledged as a significant factor in spreading awareness and fostering knowledge about innovation, potentially accelerating or impeding the adoption process. With regards to AI-related innovations, this dynamic has largely been studied within the context of Western developed countries. There is far less understanding of how this process unfolds in the news ecosystem of post-communist countries, particularly those with lower democratic standards and weaker economic development, such as Bosnia and Herzegovina. With the intention of gaining preliminary insights, this study investigated how the journalistic organizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina covered the emergence and societal adoption of ChatGPT, a novel form of generative AI, during the initial six-month period following its widespread availability. The content analysis of relevant news messages (N=542) published by 40 legacy and digital- only news outlets was used to explore the key characteristics of journalistic coverage, the attention given to the issue over time and the media depictions of this innovative AI technology. Results indicate that a small group of news outlets, predominantly legacy news organizations, provided significantly more content on ChatGPT than others, particularly public broadcasting services. Findings highlight a tendency among news outlets to focus on either the risks or benefits of ChatGPT and similar AI-based products and amplify sources associated with the business sector and high-tech industry, overrepresented by male voices.

Counteracting Islamophobia through Strategic Media Narratives: A Multi-Case Study Approach

In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, Islamophobia escalated rapidly in Western societies, challenging the integration and perception of Muslim communities. This rise in prejudice has often been reinforced by negative media portrayals, which have shaped public opinion and policy in profound ways. Contrary to this, certain media entities have endeavored to mitigate these negative perceptions through positive representation and constructive discourse. This study explores the role of media in combating Islamophobia, with a focus on how selected media outlets have leveraged their platforms to foster understanding and counteract prejudice against Muslims. Three distinct cases are examined: the documentaries and other programming by Qatar's Al Jazeera English network, the digital content of Islam Online, and the popular Turkish TV series "Resurrection Ertugrul." Al Jazeera English has been pivotal in providing a counter-narrative to Western media depictions of Islam and Muslims through in-depth documentaries that highlight the diversity and richness of Muslim cultures. Islam Online has used its digital presence to educate and bridge gaps between Muslim and non-Muslim communities by offering a platform for dialogue and understanding. Meanwhile, "Resurrection Ertugrul" serves not merely as entertainment but as a significant cultural and political tool that redefines and reshapes narratives around Islamic history and identity, presenting an antidote to stereotypical media portrayals. This study employs qualitative methodologies, including content analysis and literature reviews, to assess the impact of these media on Western perceptions of Islam. Expected results indicate that strategic media content can effectively counter Islamophobia by enlightening audiences, fostering cultural appreciation, and challenging ingrained stereotypes. This research underscores the media's power as a non-state actor in international relations and its capacity to influence social change and policy by reshaping narratives and improving intercultural relationships.

Demands, displays, and dreams of “Black joy” during times of crisis

ABSTRACT Based on collaborative research and reflections on media depictions, marketplace experiences, and Black life in Belgium and Britain, this article embraces Black joy, while critiquing societal demands and (re)presentations of it. Informed by scholarship on racialised emotions, Black interiority, and Black emotional epistemologies, we analyse how the idea of “Black joy” has been (re)presented in media in ways connected to racialised, classed, and national discourses of “we-ness” during the coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis. By analysing public (re)presentations of Black people, we critically consider how “Black joy” becomes “Black JoyTM” – a defanged expression, enabling brand advertising by tapping into the racial and capitalist politics of marketable and mediated Black emotions and intimacy. We ask, “when, how, and why are the everyday emotions and experiences of Black people (re)presented by contemporary marketplace institutions as joyful?”. Consequently, we theorise the relationship between Black joy, crises, and forms of Belgian and British advertising and media.

It's not just a movie: Perceived impact of misportrayals of dissociative identity disorder in the media on self and treatment

BackgroundHollywood has demonstrated an interest in dissociative identity disorder (DID), but unfortunately, films and television series have portrayed DID in captivating storylines at the expense of individuals living with DID. These representations of DID are often stigmatizing, stereotypical, and inaccurate. ObjectiveThe present study aimed to explore the impact of media portrayals on patients’ views of themselves and their treatment. MethodA total of 377 individuals with DID completed an online survey about their perceptions of the impact of DID representations in the media, and 151 of those participants reported that media portrayals of DID had an impact on their mental health treatment. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. ResultsOf those participants who reported an impact on their treatment, an overwhelming majority (n = 129) reported the impact to be negative. Five superordinate themes emerged: 1.) portrayals are inaccurate and perpetuate myths among clinicians, 2.) portrayals impact patients’ experiences of themselves and access to treatment, 3.) lack of clinical training and influence of media portrayals lead to negative outcomes, 4.) portrayals lead to maltreatment by clinicians, and 5.) importance of specialty treatment not based on media portrayals. ConclusionsThe present study found that inaccurate, stigmatizing media depictions of DID perpetuate misconceptions about DID and contribute to delays in seeking treatment and getting accurately diagnosed, and increased shame and self-loathing among individuals with DID.

“Compatriot” or “Stateless”: Iranian State-Owned Media and Social Media Depictions of Iranian Refugee Kimia Alizadeh’s Match at the Tokyo Olympic Games

The only Iranian woman to ever win an Olympic medal, Taekwondo Athlete Kimia Alizadeh, immigrated to Germany and became a refugee participant for the 2020/2021 Tokyo Games, competing against her former compatriot, teammate, and friend. This study content analyzes four Iranian media sources as they rendered the story of a former national hero-turned-refugee. A total of 15 frame categories were applied to each of the media sources: (a) Twitter (n = 5,662), (b) television (n = 103), (c) radio (n = 117), and (d) newspapers/digital-native news (n = 119). Television was found to adopt the most critical tones of Alizadeh, with social media, newspapers, and radio offering assessments that ranged from neutral to positive. Interestingly, social media and newspaper frames were significantly correlated, while other media sources were not.