How mass media frames the mega sporting event:the case of the 17th Incheon Asian Games 2014

Abstract

The study examined how newspaper articles have framed the 17th Incheon Asian Games 2014, in regard to the different issues covered, sources cited, positive and/or negative externalities frames, and the relationship between issues and sources. A total of 625 Korean nationwide and local newspaper articles covering the Asian Games during the 9-year period between April 7, 2005 and September 18, 2014 was analyzed in terms of three aspects of framing: (1) the types of issues highlighted, (2) the sources of information cited, and (3) the ways in which either possibilities of positive or negative externalities depiction were used. The results of the current study reveal that "political issues" (e.g., administrative and/or political conflict among central government, host city, and local residents, participation of North Korea national team) except "factual information of the event" (e.g., schedules, results, athlete performance, history) were the most commonly highlighted, "administrators" who are the government agencies preparing the Asian Games were the most frequently cited sources of information and the frame of "negative externalities" was more employed than the frame of "positive externalities" in newspapers of the Asian Games. This study regarding media coverage of the mega sporting event identifies how mass media agencies influence their target audience using framing theory and especially provide extensive analysis of media coverage of the Asian Games to date, which could serve as a groundwork for further studies of media framing theory.