Framing the flight MH370 mystery: A content analysis of Malaysian, Chinese, and U.S. media

Abstract

This study analyzes frames related to the flight MH370 disappearance in Malaysian (N=93), Chinese (N=155), and U.S. (N=150) newspapers. The results provide insight about media orientations in an international crisis, particularly regarding national interests and international citizenship. Attribution of responsibility is the dominant frame; secondary frames vary among conflict and human-interest frames, demonstrating that attribution of responsibility is the most important frame even with unknown controllability and ambiguous intentionality. Results also demonstrate significant differences in national interest frames and in the roles in the societal evaluation of risk. This study contextualizes the results in media systems, diplomatic relations, and cultures.