Analyzing the Economic Frame in Bernama’s Coverage of Malaysia’s 15th General Election

Abstract

This study examines the role of economic framing in election coverage on Twitter, focusing on Bernama’s coverage during Malaysia's 15th General Election (GE-15). With the growing influence of social media in shaping public discourse, Twitter has become a significant platform for political communication. Economic issues, despite their importance, are often framed selectively in media reporting and this study explores how economic topics were presented by Bernama, a government-linked media outlet during the election period from September to December 2022. Using a mixed-method approach, this research combines quantitative content analysis and qualitative interviews to provide a comprehensive understanding of the strategic choices in economic issue framing. The quantitative content analysis involved the examination of 1,103 tweets from Bernama’s Twitter account using the hashtag #PRU15Bernama as the unit of analysis. The study identified patterns and trends in the coverage of economic issues compared to political and other topics. To complement the quantitative findings, in-depth interviews were conducted with nine editors from Bernama’s social media desk to understand the editorial decision-making processes and the factors influencing the level of emphasis on economic reporting during the election period. The findings reveal that economic framing played a secondary but strategically important role in election coverage. While economic issues were less frequently covered, they were selectively emphasized in situations deemed most relevant, particularly when tied to high-profile political events. The study also highlights the influence of social media’s algorithmic design which prioritizes sensational content and shaping voter engagement with economic issues. This study contributes to the understanding of how economic issues are framed in contemporary electoral politics within the context of government-linked media and provides valuable insights into the evolving dynamics of media influence on public perception and voter behaviour.