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A news frame and care ethics analysis of mental illness in the media: A case study of a South African news website, two international sports stars and mental illness
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867614131043958784 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | De Vries, Florence Diana |
| author2 | Rabe, Lizette |
| author_browse | De Vries, Florence Diana Rabe, Lizette |
| author_facet | Rabe, Lizette De Vries, Florence Diana |
| author_sort | De Vries, Florence Diana |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134590 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:47:09.638Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134590 A news frame and care ethics analysis of mental illness in the media: A case study of a South African news website, two international sports stars and mental illness De Vries, Florence Diana Rabe, Lizette Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism. Mental illness in mass media Journalism -- Objectivity Journalism -- Moral en ethical aspects Sportswriters -- Social aspects Sportscasters -- Social aspects UCTD Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. De Vries, F. D. 2025. A news frame and care ethics analysis of mental illness in the media: A case study of a South African news website, two international sports stars and mental illness. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/f61282e9-a51d-461d-b7e3-7411700d3c56 ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study examines the portrayal of mental illness in South African media, with a specific focus on News24’s coverage of international sports stars Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles’ mental health announcements, alongside broader mental health-related reporting in 2021. Situated at the intersection of Framing theory and Care Ethics theory, the research examines whether specific rhetorical and technical news framing devices play a role in the perpetuation of mental illness stigma, an issue with profound implications for help-seeking and self-stigmatisation in South Africa. Through a qualitative content analysis (QCA) of the News24 articles and in-depth interviews (IDIs) with South African psychiatrists, psychologists, and health journalists, the study presents a nuanced exploration of how mental illness stigma is framed and potentially dismantled in contemporary media narratives. This study’s findings reveal a dynamic interplay of stigmatising and non-stigmatising news frames within News24’s coverage of mental illnesses. This duality suggests that mental illness is shaped by competing editorial choices and socio-cultural influences. Of particular interest is the emergent framing of international sports stars as mental health advocates – an empowering narrative that may serve to challenge prevailing stereotypes about mental illnesses. The psychiatrists and psychologists interviewed in the study expressed concerns about the media's sensationalism and dissemination of misinformation about mental illnesses. They assert that such practices entrench mental illness stigma. However, the study also foregrounds the practice of a journalistic ethic of care by South African health journalists. When it comes to reporting on mental illnesses in particular, the findings show that health journalists report with attentiveness, responsibility and a duty of care, augmenting them as powerful allies in reframing mental illness news narratives and reducing mental illness stigma. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar nie. Doctoral 2025-12-15T12:55:34Z 2025-12-15T12:55:34Z 2025-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134590 en_ZA Stellenbosch University 435 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Mental illness in mass media Journalism -- Objectivity Journalism -- Moral en ethical aspects Sportswriters -- Social aspects Sportscasters -- Social aspects UCTD De Vries, Florence Diana A news frame and care ethics analysis of mental illness in the media: A case study of a South African news website, two international sports stars and mental illness |
| title | A news frame and care ethics analysis of mental illness in the media: A case study of a South African news website, two international sports stars and mental illness |
| title_full | A news frame and care ethics analysis of mental illness in the media: A case study of a South African news website, two international sports stars and mental illness |
| title_fullStr | A news frame and care ethics analysis of mental illness in the media: A case study of a South African news website, two international sports stars and mental illness |
| title_full_unstemmed | A news frame and care ethics analysis of mental illness in the media: A case study of a South African news website, two international sports stars and mental illness |
| title_short | A news frame and care ethics analysis of mental illness in the media: A case study of a South African news website, two international sports stars and mental illness |
| title_sort | news frame and care ethics analysis of mental illness in the media a case study of a south african news website two international sports stars and mental illness |
| topic | Mental illness in mass media Journalism -- Objectivity Journalism -- Moral en ethical aspects Sportswriters -- Social aspects Sportscasters -- Social aspects UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134590 |
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