The Role of Jordanian Newspapers in Anti-Smoking Advocacy An Analytical Study of the Media Frame Coverage of Alrai, Addustour, and Alarab Alyawm

Abstract

This is an analytical study of anti-smoking media frames in three Jordanian newspapers: Alrai, Addustour, and Alarab Alyawm. The study shows that anti-smoking advocacy was presented in these newspapers in five major frames: the legal frame on smoking prevention (30.4%), the anti-smoking frame (29.6%), the frame of smoking being responsible for certain diseases (28.1%), the frame of fear of the harmful effects of smoking (11.7%), and finally the economic frame (0.2%). The first four frames presented facts that support anti-smoking advocacy, while the economic frame suggested that this advocacy would have negative economic effects on tourism and trade in Jordan. In using these frames, Alrai was the top newspaper (60.2%), followed by Addustor (31.3%) and Alarab Alyawn (8.5%).