Masters Theses

Date of Award

12-1996

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Communication

Major Professor

Mark Miller

Committee Members

Dorothy Bowles

Abstract

The relationship between framing analysis research, news values and the North American Free Trade Agreement are examined through a content analysis method of research. The analysis is designed to explore the ways news frames develop and become manifest within newspaper texts. The news value of proximity was introduced to the study by considering the geographic location of the nine North American border city newspapers that contribute to the sample of 400 articles. To test the frames, the ratification of NAFTA by the U.S. House of Representatives is the focal point for the sample of 400 articles. The articles were coded for primary and secondary frames in this content analysis. And data from the coded articles is entered into a computerized cross tab and chi square program. The literature review supports the view that primary and secondary frames naturally occur in articles when journalists adhere to traditional news values. And the results provide data and statistical measures that reveal some of the ways the primary and secondary frames formed and became manifest within the news texts. The statistical measures support two of the three hypotheses with percentages and probability levels of <.05. The results reveal that primary frames are dominated by trade and seem to be influenced the most by the news value of prominence. Furthermore, the secondary frames seem to be influenced by the news value of proximity, because they exhibit percentages of all three of the environment, social issues and sovereignty categories of frames. However, in the Canadian, U.S./Canadian and U.S./Mexican border papers' articles the secondary frame is dominated by environment. At the same time, the Mexican articles are more concerned with social issues as a secondary frame. This study provides an example of the influence of news values on the formation of frames in newspaper texts. This information can be used by scholars, news professionals and the general public to better understand the development and final formation of what are commonly referred to as news frames. It is reasoned that whatever the news media selects and writes is based on the traditional news values that journalists are trained to observe.

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