Abstract:
This study analyzed print media framing of
the 2015 Sri Lanka Presidential Election coverage. A
total of 603 news stories and editorials from two
leading newspaper “Daily News” and “Daily
Mirror” are selected for the study published during
the period of 21st November 2014 to 13th of January
2015. The study considers the postulates of “Agenda
Setting” and “Framing‟ to examine the 2015
election. The study focused on Equivalence frame,
Game frame, Interparty relation frame, Issue frame
and Emphasis frame. The following questions were
asked: Was there a difference in the editorial
coverage of selected English newspapers? What were
the dominant issues discussed in the Presidential
Election coverage? Which election frame got the
maximum newspaper's coverage? Which newspaper
performed the watchdog role regarding the coverage
of Presidential Election 2015? Which newspapers
favored to which candidate, regarding his campaign
leading up to the presidential election? Overall, the
findings of this study revealed Equivalence frame
was the most dominant frame used in the coverage of
the 2015 Sri Lanka Presidential Election. Issues of
Peace (Terrorism) and Corruption were the most
discussed in the coverage of the 2015 Presidential
Election. As well as researcher investigate the
consistency of editorial policy and the watchdog role
playing by the selected press. Newspaper coverage
can have a positive or negative impact on the image
of an individual. The study reveals that the two
organizations framed the information differently.
Media played the roles of informing, persuading,
educating, and acted as the agenda setter to its
audience by putting more emphasis on some issues.
