The Disinfectant Diversion: The Use of Narratives in Partisan News Media

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[Abstract] The dysfunctions of American political media and their contributions to the erosion of modern democracy are actively being debated. In this light, there has been considerable empirical inquiry dedicated to understanding the role of narratives, storytelling, and the mythical “deep story” in the mobilization of the electorate. Here we seek to understand how narratives are employed by news outlets to make sense of media spectacles. We focus on coverage of the April 23, 2020 White House COVID-19 Task Force press briefing, during which President Donald Trump debated the effectiveness of sunlight and disinfectant injections in combating the virus. We conducted a qualitative analysis of all relevant articles, cable news coverage on this topic by CNN and Fox News, and Facebook posts on this topic issued by six media outlets from April 23, 2020, to April 26, 2020–a total of 115 articles, 87 television segments, and 41 Facebook posts. Our results reveal a reliance on several narratives in both the left- and right-wing media systems. These narratives all contribute to the overarching frames that are spun in ways that sow distrust and resentment throughout audiences across the partisan spectrum.

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