News coverage is the information or commentary published in newspapers, magazines or broadcast on radio or television about current events and issues. It can be local, national or global.
A large number of studies have shown that media coverage can have a significant effect on the way people view an issue or a subject. This can be through framing, or the creation of a narrative around an event, which can influence the viewer’s or reader’s opinions. It can also be through priming, whereby a news article focuses on one particular perspective or aspect of an event and then leads to that being reflected in people’s responses to questions about the topic.
The media’s coverage of political candidates can have a major impact on who gets elected. If a candidate is getting lots of positive coverage from the press, it can give them momentum and help them win early primary and caucus votes. Alternatively, negative coverage can derail a candidate’s campaign.
The media’s coverage of the Israel-Hamas war has been particularly polarised, with US media often favouring stories about Palestinian civilian casualties. This can have a direct impact on people’s views of the conflict and may affect their advocacy or support for either side. What the media chooses not to cover can also have a significant impact, for example ignoring a certain viewpoint or event can make people think something is more common than it really is. This can cause people to take precautions that aren’t necessary, for example using bug spray in places where there’s a high risk of mosquitoes when they might not need to.
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