COVID-19 Topics in Newspapers and Interviews

This study compares pandemic topics found in large-scale newspaper coverage with themes emerging from interviews and focus groups. It connects two very different kinds of evidence: broad public narratives disseminated through newspapers and lived pandemic experiences described by participants.

By combining “big” media data with “thick” qualitative data, the project highlights where public communication converged with, or diverged from, the concerns people described in their own words. This mixed-method approach helps reveal not only what topics were visible in public media, but also what people felt was missing, confusing, or personally important.

Links: Project page · Publication page · https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pdig.0000736