Framing SARS: A Case Study in Toronto of a Mainstream Newspaper and a Chinese Ethnic Newspaper

Abstract

A thematic framing analysis of the coverage of the severe acute respiratory syndrome health crisis in Toronto was conducted, comparing the World Journal, a Chinese-language ethnic newspaper, and the Toronto Star, an English-language popular newspaper. We found that the two papers used the economic consequences frame in similar proportions, the World Journal used the responsibility frame only slightly less frequently, the World Journal used the human interest frame substantially less frequently, the World Journal used the risk frame much more frequently, and the World Journal used the conflict frame less frequently. It is apparent that the Toronto Star avoided overt stereotyping and included more sympathetic framing with its human interest frames but was less careful in attributing blame to China or to ethnic Chinese and less careful in its focus on conflict. On the other hand, the World Journal did not provide explicit counterideologies but raised awareness of the risks of the disease both in Toronto and in the readers' countries of origin. The similarities in coverage point to the role of news values in driving framing choices, and the differences are best explained by the combination of its target audience and the structural freedoms and limitations of the two papers.

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