When news is the crisis: Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya framing of the 2017 Gulf conflict

Abstract

The 2017 Gulf crisis raises important questions about what happens when news networks become part and parcel of a political conflict. This research employs content analysis to analyse how two flagship evening news programmes – Al-Hasad (The Harvest) on Al Jazeera and Panorama on Al Arabiya – framed the early phase of the 2017 Gulf crisis. The study provides an elucidation of how, specifically, editorial positions were made manifest and, importantly, what framing mechanisms were employed. Results suggest that Al Jazeera’s Al-Hasad took the position of a victim being attacked by an external oppressor, while Al Arabiya’s Panorama framed Qatar as a sponsor of terrorism.