Covering the Crisis: Evolution of Key Topics and Actors in COVID-19 News Coverage in Switzerland

Abstract

Objectives: The goal of this study is to map the share of COVID-related news articles over time, to investigate key subtopics and their evolution throughout the pandemic, and to identify key actors and their relationship with different aspects of the discourse around the pandemic. Methods: This study uses a large-scale automated content analysis to conduct a within-country comparison of news articles (N = 1,171,114) from two language regions of Switzerland during the first 18 months of the pandemic. Results: News media coverage of the pandemic largely mirrors key epidemiological developments in terms of the volume and content of coverage. Key actors in COVID-related reporting tend to be included in news articles that relate to their respective area of expertise. Conclusion: Balanced news coverage of the pandemic facilitates effective dissemination of pandemic-related information by health authorities.

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