Abstract:
This multi-method study examines how The New York Times reported on the
Darfur conflict in Sudan, which has led to an estimated 300,000 deaths and over 2.3
million people displaced due to fighting between tribes of Arab and Black Sudanese.
Drawing on postcolonial and normative theories and prior studies of Africa's
representation, I analyze how the conflict was framed and what role sources played in
reinforcing or resisting Western neocolonial values. I also explore how news-making
processes impacted journalists' reporting on Darfur.
The content and textual analyses largely support results of prior studies on news
framing of Africa. However, interviews with five New York Times journalists reveal that
the individual biases and motives of the journalists and their sources significantly
influenced the coverage. While the journalists participated in news-making processes distinguishable by journalist goal, source availability, and source credibility, their sources
also provided information that reinforced certain media frames.
Description:
xiv, 109 p. : ill., map. A print copy of this title is available from the UO Libraries, under the call number: KNIGHT PN4899.N42 T55 2008