Masters Thesis

A comparative framing analysis of the U.S. and Japanese news media coverage of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis

This study examined how the nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi Power Station was framed in the initial reports of a leading Japanese news outlet, Yomiuri Shimbun compared with a leading American news outlet, the New York Times. Frame analysis was used to assess the articles. The dominant frame in the Yomiuri Shimbun was the ‘Inadequate response’ frame, highlighting the government authorities’ insufficient response, absent leadership, lack of plans and failure to inform citizens. The New York Times, which was covering the crisis from an external standpoint, used the ‘Fix it’ frame using the crisis to suggest that United States is more prepared and is ready to respond to crises, and that Japan lacks the technology and capability to resolve such crises. The study also found that the primary source for Yomiuri Shimbun were government officials and politicians, whereas the New York Times quoted external sources such as nuclear experts and academia in the United States most often.

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