Comparative Analysis of Social Media News Framing Across Regions

Thesis Abstract

This study investigates how social media news framing varies across regions and how such framing influences public perception and issue salience in different socio-political contexts. The problem addressed concerns the cross-regional variations in frame construction on leading social platforms during major political and public-interest events, and how these frames shape audience interpretation, trust, and agenda-setting processes. The aim is to compare newsroom-like framing patterns and audience reception across five regions—North America, Western Europe, East Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America—to identify regional similarities and divergences in tone, prominence, actor representation, and issue emphasis. Specific objectives are to (1) analyze linguistic and visual framing strategies employed by top regional social media news accounts during three high-visibility events, (2) assess differences in frame dimensions such as theme, value, and responsibility across regions, (3) examine audience engagement signals (likes, shares, comments) as indicators of frame resonance, and (4) test the associations between framing patterns and perceived credibility, issue importance, and affective responses among regional publics. Methodologically, the study adopts a mixed-methods comparative design. The population comprises followers of the most-read social media news pages in each region and the news content produced by twenty major outlets per region during a six-month period surrounding the events. A stratified random sample yields 600 posts per region (3,600 total posts) for content analysis, supplemented by 1,200 audience responses (comments and reactions) collected via platform APIs and anonymized survey responses from 300 respondents per region. Data collection instruments include a coding framework for framing analysis adapted from Entman’s four framing functions (problem definition, causal interpretation, moral evaluation, and treatment recommendation) plus a taxonomy for visual framing, sentiment indicators, and engagement metrics. The study employs intercoder reliability testing (Cohen’s kappa) to ensure coding consistency, and triangulates content analysis with audience survey data. Analytical techniques encompass quantitative and qualitative methods. Content analysis applies multi-criteria coding to derive frame frequency, prominence, and actor representation across regions, with multivariate ANOVA and hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) to examine regional differences while controlling for event type and platform. Regression analyses assess the relationship between frame salience and audience perceived credibility, trust in media, and issue salience. Thematic analysis of a subsample of 180 in-depth comments per region uncovers nuanced interpretive patterns and sentiment dimensions. Theoretical grounding draws on framing theory, priming theory, and utilitarian-credibility frameworks, with explicit incorporation of two named theories Entman’s framing theory and Scheufele and Tewksbury’s agenda-setting model, to explain cross-regional variations and audience consequences. Expected findings anticipate measurable regional disparities in frame emphasis (e.g., moral evaluation more pronounced in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa, causal attributions leaning toward political elites in North America and Western Europe), variations in actor agency (institutional vs. non-institutional voices), and divergent visual framing practices ( imagery, color symbolism). Engagement patterns are expected to correlate with frame resonance differently by region, such that frames emphasizing communal values yield higher engagement in some regions while issue-centric frames predict stronger perceived credibility in others. The study anticipates robust links between framing dimensions and audience affect, with cross-regional differences in perceived legitimacy and issue salience. The contribution to knowledge lies in providing a comparative, evidence-based map of social media news framing across diverse regional contexts, illuminating how cultural, political, and media-system differences shape frame construction and audience reception. Methodologically, the research advances cross-regional comparative content analysis techniques by integrating automated coding with human judgment, and by linking content patterns to real-time engagement and perceived credibility. Practical implications include guidance for international newsrooms and platform regulators on how framing practices influence public discourse and democratic legitimacy. The study concludes with policy-oriented recommendations for improving transparency in framing, developing region-sensitive media literacy programs, and encouraging cross-regional collaboration to reduce framing biases in global news ecosystems.