Pandemic and Health Reporting: A Content Analysis of New York Times Coverage of COVID-19 from January 01, 2020, to August 31, 2022

Despite the exponential rise of social media and online news sources, traditional news media, such as newspapers, remain essential for health information. During a health crisis, such as a pandemic, the news media can play a significant role by conveying messages from emergency management agencies to the general population. In this study, we conducted a qualitative content analysis of the New York Times (NYT) coverage of COVID-19-related stories published between 1, 2020, and August 31, 2022. Based on crisis communication and media framing theories, we analyzed the coverage span, size, and wording of the articles. Based on our sample, we observed that the frequency of COVID-19-related reports was higher at the beginning of the pandemic and decreased over time. Section analysis of the articles reflected a high diversity as coronavirus-related stories were distributed in more than ten sections. In addition, we found that almost 16 percent of the articles were placed in U.S. news and 14 percent were in the editorial. It also indicated a national interest and the topic's significance as articles found in editorials received more attention. Regarding framing, we discovered that the NYT coverage of COVID-19 dealt more with human interest, responsibility, and conflict than economic and morality frames.