Comparative analysis of media coverage and political discourse on social media regarding the natural disaster “Dana-29-O”

Abstract

This study analyzes and compares the dominant frames of news stories and social media posts published during the two weeks following the natural disaster "Dana 29-O," which occurred in Valencia on October 29, 2024. A corpus of 1,597 items is examined. Regarding the media, the frames presented in the headlines of 1,203 pieces belonging to two national media outlets (El Mundo and El País) and two regional media outlets (Las Provincias and Valencia Plaza) are analyzed. Regarding social media, the frames identified in 400 publications are examined. Specifically, the posts of three national political parties (PSOE, PP, and Vox), the respective accounts of their regional federations (PSPV-PSOE, PPCV, and Vox Comunidad Valenciana), as well as the account of the political party Compromís, which operates solely in the Valencian Community, the site of the disaster, were analyzed. The methodology applied was based on a qualitative analysis following the collection of pieces through the digital tools MyNews and Factiva. The research examined the presence and absence of frames related to human interest, economic consequences, attribution of responsibility, conflict, and morality. The findings indicate a general primacy of human interest, as both the media and social media focus on the victims. However, the evolution of frames indicates a significant increase in attribution of responsibility. This data reflects a shift in focus from those affected to those perceived as responsible for the management of the event, thus shifting attention from human suffering to a critical analysis of political and institutional management.