Browsing by Author "Van Eeden, Margaretha Louisa"

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    Mapping news about the mind: Analysing the framing of mental illness by News24 (July 2021 - June 2022)
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2023-03) Van Eeden, Margaretha Louisa; Jordaan, Marenet; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Mental health is an important part of a person’s general health and wellbeing and a basic human right. Good mental health is linked to an improved ability to function, cope and thrive in society. The number of people suffering from some kind of mental illness is increasing rapidly worldwide. Events like the Covid-19 pandemic contribute to widespread psychological distress that pushes this number even higher (WHO, 2022b:xiv). In South Africa it is no different, with statistics on mental illness foreshadowing a dire future. According to the World Health Organisation, South Africa experienced a more than 36.4% increase in the prevalence of anxiety disorders during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and a more than 38.7% increase in the prevalence of depression in the same period. The impact and severity of mental health is widely recognised. However, stigma, discrimination and human rights violations against people suffering from mental illness are still widespread across the world (WHO, 2022b:xiv). The way in which the media report on mental illness and frames it contributes to how it is viewed by society. Questions are often raised about how mental illness is portrayed in the mass media and whether the framing of mental illness in the media is fair and accurate. The Covid-19 pandemic impacted how journalists report on topics such as mental illness and Covid-19’s effects on mental health. This study analysed the framing of mental illness in stories published by South African online news platform News24 during the Covid-19 pandemic over a one-year period between July 2021 and June 2022, in order to explore whether the coverage adheres to the normative expectations of an ethics of care. According to the ethics of care theory, journalists should take care when reporting on vulnerable groups, such as those suffering from mental illness. A literature review brought to light frames generally used by the media when reporting on mental illness. These frames were used as a guide for the qualitative content analysis performed on the sampled stories. During the analysis stories were identified that perpetuate stigmas and stereotypes about mental illness and that draw a link between violence and mental illness. However, the number of stories of a positive nature, with frames of advocacy and awareness, education and destigmatisation, far outweigh the more negative stories. Overall, the framing of mental illness in stories by News24 over the one-year period is mostly constructive and well intentioned, indicating that journalists took care when reporting on this vulnerable group. Nevertheless, there remains room for improvement. Special attention should be given to word choice and sensationalist “clickbait” headlines. The study recommended specific steps the media industry can take to report more carefully about mental illness, and suggested future avenues for research.