Opinion Pieces on Government Initiatives Launched to Confront the Repercussions of Coronavirus Pandemic on the Private Sector : An Analytical Study on a Sample of Economic Articles in Saudi Newspapers

Author

Assistant Professor, Department of Journalism and Electronic Publishing, College of Media and Communication, Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This study is one of the descriptive, explanatory studies which sought to monitor and analyze opinion pieces published in Saudi newspapers on government initiatives launched to confront the repercussions of Coronavirus pandemic on the private sector. The study relied in its theoretical framework and in formulating its questions on the Frame Analysis Theory.
According to the results of the study, the main tendency of opinion pieces published in Saudi newspapers on government initiatives launched to confront the repercussions of the Coronavirus pandemic on the private sector was to shed light on the (Positive Impact) of these initiatives. In addition, there was a noticeable tendency to (call for optimism). However, the results demonstrated that the writers of opinion pieces used to argue that (these initiatives will enable the private sector to play its role in achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030) and that (these initiatives came on the right time). In sum, the results showed that most of these opinion pieces came (to justify the initiatives).
The results of the study revealed that the arguments used as evidence and for persuasion in opinion pieces published in the Saudi newspapers depended on (official news), which came in the first place with a percentage of 16.2%, followed by (statistics and figures) by a percentage of 15.5% in the second place. Furthermore, (listing positives) came in the third place with a percentage of 15.2 %, and in the fourth place came (official reports) with a percentage of 13.7%. As for the most prominent active forces, with relation to opinion pieces which tackled government initiatives launched for confronting the repercussions of the Coronavirus pandemic on the private sector, the list included (Government Officials) and (Local Investors) in the first two ranks.

Keywords

References

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