Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Assistant Prof. Faculty of Public Relations, Communication Sciences Department, Allameh Tabataba'i University
2 MA in Social Communication Sciences, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
This study focused on the reflection of news related to the first wave of the coronavirus outbreak in Iran on two websites: IRIB and BBC Persian. The study aimed to examine how these websites reported on the outbreak and its impact on Iran. Beginning in December 2019, the terms "corona" and "COVID-19" have become widely utilized across traditional and modern media as key concepts representing a significant human event. The emergence of this virus in Wuhan, China, initially brought it to the attention of healthcare professionals in hospitals and clinics. As the spread escalated and the pandemic became more widespread, these terms gained increasing prominence in news coverage, reflecting the growing global awareness and concern about the ongoing crisis. This statement correctly describes the definition of a website as a modern media platform that allows content exchange or publication through the use of digital processing tools. The internet's emergence has facilitated the transmission and sharing of information in various forms, such as text, images, videos, and audio, via websites. These platforms utilize digital technologies and programming languages like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and others to display and manage content, making it accessible and interactive.
Introduction
In this study, the concept of "news" encompassed a wide range of content types related to the first wave of coronavirus outbreak in Iran. These included news articles, reports, interviews, notes, and expert analyses published on the BBC Persian and IRIB news websites. The broad scope allowed for a comprehensive examination of how these websites reported on the outbreak and its impact in Iran during the first wave. In this study, the first wave of the coronavirus outbreak in Iran was identified as beginning on February 20, 2020, and ending on June 6, 2020. To analyze the content of the messages, the study utilized a quantitative content analysis method, coding the content based on 17 variables and 62 sub-variables. This approach provided a structured and systematic means of categorizing and evaluating the content related to the first wave on the studied websites. The statistical population for this study comprised 1,015 units, and the Cochran formula was used to determine that a sample size of 278 units would provide reliable results. To collect the data, a multi-stage sampling method was employed, combining both quota and systematic random sampling techniques. This approach allowed for a representative sample to be obtained while ensuring the appropriate diversity and distribution of the study participants.
Results
The study found that the coverage of COVID-19 news in Iran is heavily influenced by news values such as "conflict", "magnitude", "comprehensiveness", and “celebrity”. On the other hand, values like "exceptionality", "novelty", and "proximity" had a lesser impact on the news coverage. The representation of the crisis on the studied websites exhibited distinct features. These included factors such as the frequency of coverage, the main source of news, and the tone/framing of the news articles. Some of these include:
The findings show that during the first wave of COVID-19, roughly two-thirds (69.1%) of the news on the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) website were sourced exclusively from their own news agency. In contrast, around half (48.2%) of the news published on BBC Persian originated from an unknown source.• Approximately 94% of the images used on the IRIB website had no news direction, while BBC Persian adopted a negative direction in their images (about 41%) as part of a desirable strategy to attract audiences and present an undesirable image of the COVID-19 situation in Iran. Additionally, these statistics highlight the differences in news coverage and sourcing practices between IRIB and BBC Persian news websites during the early stages of the pandemic in Iran.
The results reveal that during the first wave of COVID-19 in Iran, the provision of accurate statistics on the number of infected cases accounted for approximately 19% of the content on the IRIB news website. In contrast, only 5.75% of news content on the BBC Persian website addressed this topic, suggesting that the IRIB site paid more attention to providing accurate information about the number of cases.
According to the findings, the first wave of COVID-19 in Iran had 2 distinct trends in the coverage of the virus on IRIB and BBC Persian websites, namely the type of news and the use of news sources: News type: The IRIB website mainly focused on providing reports and expert opinions, while BBC Persian relied more on news articles. This difference is likely due to the news value of "comprehensiveness". 2. News source: IRIB relied largely on their own news agency, while BBC Persian sourced its news more variably, potentially influenced by the news value of "exclusiveness".
When analyzing the news content on the IRIB and BBC Persian websites during the first wave of COVID-19 in Iran, it became evident that providing accurate statistics on the number of cases constituted a significant portion of the IRIB's coverage (19%) compared to the BBC Persian (5.75%). This discrepancy suggests that IRIB paid more attention to accuracy in representing events during this time frame, whereas BBC Persian placed less emphasis on delivering precise figures related to the virus's spread in the country.
When comparing the coverage on the IRIB and BBC Persian websites during the first wave of COVID-19 in Iran, approximately 19% of the IRIB's content focused on providing accurate statistics on the number of COVID-19 cases. In contrast, only 5.75% of the BBC Persian's content addressed this topic. This difference suggests that IRIB prioritized the accuracy of its reporting in representing the events related to the pandemic in the country, while BBC Persian placed less emphasis on providing precise statistics regarding the virus spread.
It appears that the IRIB and BBC Persian news websites hold differing perspectives on the origins of the virus. According to the IRIB site, the virus is portrayed as unnatural and man-made, originating from the United States. The BBC Persian website identifies the source of the virus as China, implying a natural origin. These differing narratives could be influenced by political factors and alliances, as Iran and China maintain positive relations, whereas Iran has had strained relations with the United States historically.
The analysis of COVID-19 coverage on the IRIB and BBC Persian news websites reveals stark contrasts in their narratives. The IRIB website portrays a positive image of Iran's management of the virus, with 87% of the content reflecting this viewpoint. In contrast, the BBC Persian website adopts a much more critical stance, with 98% of the content portraying the management of the situation in Iran as unfavorable and subject to harsh critique. These differing perspectives likely reflect the various agendas, biases, and political affiliations of each news outlet.
Conclusion
The findings of the study reveal that while the COVID-19 pandemic, as a pervasive human disease with significant news values, has attracted substantial coverage on news websites, the commitment of each outlet to a particular framing has resulted in varying narratives. The IRIB website, as a media outlet in favor of the current situation, adopts an "optimistic" approach, whereas the BBC Persian website, a media outlet opposed to the current situation, adopts a "concerned" narrative. This disparity reflects each outlet's allegiance and perspectives, which shape the content they produce.
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