FRAMING THE LIBERATION WAR OF BANGLADESH IN THE U.S. AND U.K. MEDIA: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF THE NEW YORK TIMES AND THE TIMES (LONDON)

Author

Mohammad Delwar Hossain, Southern Illinois University CarbondaleFollow

Date of Award

12-1-2010

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Mass Communication and Media Arts

First Advisor

Onyebadi, Uche

Abstract

AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF MOHAMMAD DELWAR HOSSAIN, for the Master of Arts degree in Media Theory & Research, presented on May 7, 2010 at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE: FRAMING THE LIBERATION WAR OF BANGLADESH IN THE U.S. AND U.K. MEDIA: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF THE NEW YORK TIMES AND THE TIMES (LONDON) MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Uche Onyebadi This study examined the framing of the liberation war of Bangladesh in the New York Times and the Times (London). To comprehensively look at the framing, the tones and sources of news in the newspapers have also been studied. The results suggest that both newspapers used three frames most frequently: military-conflict frame, prognostic frame and human interest frame. The findings also show that both newspapers published news stories with more neutral tone than positive and negative tones. The New York Times and the Times (London) relied mostly on official sources as the primary sources in publishing news. The present study is not only the first research on the framing of the liberation war of Bangladesh by the international print media but also a systematic research on the area. Therefore, this study is expected to open up ways of understanding the role of the international print media, especially in the U.S. and U.K., about the war. This study is also a major contribution in the field of framing research and more broadly in understanding how newspapers frame wars in their reports.