Framing Winter Olympics: A Content Analysis of Sochi Winter Olympics (2014) and Beijing Winter Olympics (2022)

Abstract

The frame analysis of Olympics-related news is quite popular, yet few studies do comparative studies of two Olympics hosted by ideologically similar countries. To fill this gap in the literature, this study examined the similarities and differences of an American news agency CNN’s (Cable News Networks) coverages in the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Under the theoretical framework of framing theory, a content analysis (N = 200) of news stories was conducted. The following four frames were measured: (a) sports frame, (b) human-interest frame. (c) morality frame, (d) political frame. Findings revealed that sports frame was mentioned the most frequently in both Olympics. Furthermore, Russia got more coverage in the human-interest frame and morality frame, while China got more publications in the political frame.