Philippine E-Journals

Inside a News Scoop: A Content Analysis on TV Patrol’s News Coverage on Drug-Related Killing Issues and Its Effect on Viewers’ Perception

Yssabelle A Adala | Ruth Mae M Austria | Alyssa Jewel S Faina

 

Abstract:

With the use of the complementary theories, Agenda-Setting Theory and Cultivation Analysis, as the framework of this study, the researchers looked into TV Patrol’s news coverage on drug-related killing issues and its effect on the perception of Duterte supporters towards the Duterte Administration. This quantitative and qualitative study employed a content analysis on TV Patrol’s drug-related killing news from August 16, 2017- September 8, 2017. During this time frame, news on the said issue reached the peak of its occurrence. The researchers also carried out a focus group discussion to discover how the said news stories have influenced the perception of Duterte supporters. On the whole, the results of the content analysis showed that TV Patrol’s news agenda prioritized drug-related killing issues as evident in the 25% airtime occupied by the said issue out of the 18 hours total running time of all the news episodes analyzed. The fndings also revealed that the most predominant frame which appeared in the news items was the human-interest frame, followed by conflict, attribution of responsibility/blame, policy action and neutral frame, respectively. This raises the possibility that Philippine news media tend to sensationalize rather than inform when reporting socio-political crises. Meanwhile, the results of the focus group discussion disclosed that the audience frames echoed the media frames, thereby proving that the media agenda can shape the public agenda. This research aims to generate awareness and produce more critical and active viewers.