Previous research on international communication cites under-reporting and negative coverage as major problems of Western media reporting of the African continent. These problems are present specifically in US television coverage of African countries. Utilising agenda-setting and media framing theory, this study content analyses US television media coverage of Nigeria, Africa's largest economy and most populous nation, in two 5-year time periods, . Reports broadcast by the big three networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC) were coded for issues, sources, valence, and frames (N = 643). Results corroborate existing research regarding the predominance of episodic frames and negative coverage across time periods. New findings concerning coverage of Nigeria by Western media organisations are discussed.
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