News frames on femicide and Covid-19 during the first year of the pandemic in Mexico

Abstract

This article analyzes 142 news stories in the Mexican written press about femicide and Covid-19. The objective is to identify the classifications and types of information sources concerning the manner in which the press approached the issue during the first year of the pandemic. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used through content analysis. The result led to four main categories: femicide statistics, the role of the authorities, civil manifestations, and the pandemic of violence. It was identified that the classifications with the highest frequency were those related to femicide statistics and the inaction on the part of the authorities. “El Universal” and “Reforma” frequently dealt with what the figures told, while “La Jornada” had greater coverage on the pandemic of violence. The results showed more heterogeneity in the subcategories by newspaper. Official sources proliferated, while private or family sources appeared to a lesser extent.