Partisan Media as a Bridge between Elite Cues and Public Attitude: During the COVID-19 Pandemic in South Korea

Abstract

Levels of public polarization in evaluations of government responses to COVID-19 and perceptions of COVID-19 severity exhibit varying degrees across countries worldwide. This study aims to examine whether these disparities can be attributed to variations in elite messaging concerning COVID-19, as conveyed through the media. Through text mining of South Korean newspapers, we observe a convergence of media and elite discourse on the gravity of COVID-19 while divergent viewpoints emerge regarding government performance. In this scenario, we would expect that public opinion did so as well. Our findings suggest that the degree of polarization in public attitudes toward COVID-19 is largely contingent upon the extent to which the pandemic is partisan-framed by political elites and subsequently communicated to the populace through media channels.