The framing of sexual content in a Ugandan newspaper: a case study of Daily Pepper

Abstract

This study examines the framing of sexual content in a Ugandan newspaper, using the case of Daily Pepper newspaper. To achieve that objective, the study was divided into four major parts. The first part looked at the sexual content frames reported in the Daily Pepper newspaper. The second part focused on what determines sexual content coverage at Daily Pepper newspaper. The third part established what Daily Pepper considers to be the ideal sexual content for public consumption and what is not, while the last part explored the challenges of finding the right balance between what is acceptable and what is considered pornographic at Daily Pepper. Further, the study provided recommendations on how newspapers can contribute to meaningful sex education basing on the study’s findings. Using the case of Daily Pepper newspaper, the researcher applied the framing theory to provide an insight into the nature of frames used for sexual content and how this shape public perception of sexual issues. This study took a mixed-methods approach and employed in-depth interviews and content analysis for data collection to obtain answers to the research questions. For instance, in-depth interviews were held with the media personnel from Daily Pepper newspaper who make major decisions on what finally gets into the newspaper. Content analysis was used to analyze the sexual content in the newspaper, particularly news items published between October 1 2020 and October 31 2021. The findings of this study established that the Euphemism, Sensational, Scandalous and Shock frames were the dominant frames used by the media in the coverage of sexual content from the issues analyzed. Additionally, the study also revealed that the determinants of sexual content creation at Daily Pepper, like audiences, advertisers (media commercialization), philosophy of the media/editorial policy, globalization/cultural imperialism, political influence, and others greatly influence the nature of sexual content and how this content is framed. In this respect, editorial content is largely compromised. Further, it was also established that what is considered to be the ideal sexual content for public consumption at the Daily Pepper presents an ethical dilemma. For instance, Daily Pepper’s editorial policy holds that a newsworthy story must have scandal, sex and shock to cause that ‘massive erection’. This creates conflicting interests between the media policies and journalistic values. The study also found out that the biggest challenge in establishing the right balance between what is acceptable and what is considered pornographic at Daily Pepper is the philosophy of the media. Other challenges include: existing legal frameworks, societal values and expectations, and organizational image. The study concludes by proposing other areas of inquiry and recommends a strong need for the news media to follow ethical guidelines to guarantee implicit sexual reporting. Therefore, newspapers should have to necessarily amend their editorial policies to foster a ‘professional-centric’ approach in the practice, and reducing the weighting given to sexual content.