Framing Heatwave as a Disaster: A Content Analysis of Heatwave Coverage in Digital Broadsheets

Authors

  • Khareen B. Culajara University of Mindanao Digos College, Roxas Ext., Brgy Zone II, Digos City, Davao del Sur, Philippines https://orcid.org/0009-0000-0444-191X
  • Jonathan M. Tudtud University of Mindanao Digos College, Roxas Ext., Brgy Zone II, Digos City, Davao del Sur, Philippines https://orcid.org/0009-0001-2944-2297

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54536/ajahs.v3i4.3621

Keywords:

Content Analysis, Disaster Communication, Disaster Media Coverage, Heat Wave, Heatwave

Abstract

This study investigates how a heatwave is framed as a disaster among major digital broadsheets in the Philippines. Through a descriptive research design combining both qualitative and quantitative content analysis, this research systematically examined 312 news articles spanning from January to April during which heatwaves occurred in the research locale. Quantitative data was analyzed to identify frequency and patterns, while qualitative analysis provided deeper insights into the narratives and framing strategies. A purposive sampling, coding, and categorization of news articles were conducted to understand the portrayal of heatwave effects, the framing techniques employed by the journalists, the active forces involved in addressing the phenomenon, and the demographics of those most affected. The study revealed that major broadsheets highlighted the economic cost of the disaster with the heatwave events framed in terms of economic implications, including impacts on industries such as agriculture and energy sectors. Additionally, this study underscored the Department of Agriculture as the most active force and identified farmers and the fisherfolk as the groups most affected by the disaster, as the heatwaves directly threaten crop yields and livelihoods of those in the sector. Finally, this study provides insights into the media’s role in shaping public perception of the heatwave, a phenomenon underrepresented in disaster communication research, thereby contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of its socio-economic implications and advocating for balanced media representation as a means to mitigate its impacts.

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Author Biographies

Khareen B. Culajara, University of Mindanao Digos College, Roxas Ext., Brgy Zone II, Digos City, Davao del Sur, Philippines

Khareen B. Culajara is an associate professior at the University of Mindanao Digos College, Philippines. She earned her BA in English Creative Writing from the University of the Philippines Mindanao. She completed her MA in English at Ateneo de Davao University. Currently, she is taking Master of Development Communication degree at the UP Open University.

Jonathan M. Tudtud, University of Mindanao Digos College, Roxas Ext., Brgy Zone II, Digos City, Davao del Sur, Philippines

Jonathan M. Tudtud is a faculty member at the University of Mindanao Digos College (UMDC). He earned his BA in Communication from the same university where he is currently affiliated with. Presently, he is taking his MA in Communication major in Communication Management at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Open University (PUPOU).

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Published

2024-12-10

How to Cite

Culajara, K. B., & Tudtud, J. M. (2024). Framing Heatwave as a Disaster: A Content Analysis of Heatwave Coverage in Digital Broadsheets. American Journal of Arts and Human Science, 3(4), 119–127. https://doi.org/10.54536/ajahs.v3i4.3621