Framing of the xenophobic attacks in South Africa by the BBC and Al Jazeera online newspapers

Abstract

This study examines how the BBC and Al Jazeera Online newspapers framed the xenophobic attacks in South Africa. The study is underpinned by the Framing Theory. Data were gathered from 32 news and feature articles by the BBC and 63 by Al Jazeera Online newspapers. These were thematically analyzed. The findings reveal that the attribution of Responsibility frame is the most dominant. This was followed by the frames of Human Interest, Economic Consequence, Conflict, and Morality in the order of importance. Also, it was revealed that the African immigrants in South Africa were depicted as Targets and Competitors of the local South African. The findings also show that the two online newspapers used negative tones in describing the South African but are slightly positive towards the African immigrant. The study concludes that the BBC and Al Jazeera Online newspapers impute responsibility for the attacks to the South African people who see the African immigrants as the cause of the economic frustration of the South African. It is recommended that news makers minimize framing players of migration crisis in a negative light in order to better mediate in migration related crisis and avoid stirring violent confrontations between immigrants and local populations.