Western Media Coverage of Somalia Famine

ABSTRACT: This thesis examines Western media coverage of Somalia famine in 2011. It examines how the food crisis was represented in the media in view of past sentiments around inequalities of international news flow and coverage, alleged to favour Western nations and sparking off the debate more than 30years ago, against Western news organizations for alleged bias and stereotyped treatment of news coverage from developing regions. This study uses international news flow theory as the theoretical framework. Two hypotheses guided this research, the first being that Somalia famine became salient on the global media only upon Western involvement, and secondly, that media coverage of the famine was stereotyped in news presentation. The research covered a period of 3 months from June 20th to September 20th, 2011 during which reports of the famine gathered from three selected Western dailies which include the Guardian, the International Herald Tribune and Hurriyet Daily newspapers were content- analyzed using the combined research methods of content analysis and framing technique . It is found out that coverage was scanty at the beginning of the famine and only improves during Western involvement. It also reveals the self and other dichotomy which is used by the media in the representation of other identities. This study also affirms that international news values are based on perceptions from the West. Keywords: Western news media, stereotype, famine, Somalia, and news coverage ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………