War or Peace Journalism? A Framing Analysis of How the Ugandan Media Covered the 2013/2014 South Sudan Conflict

Abstract

The study examined the extent to which peace or war journalism was employed in the coverage of the 2013/2014 South Sudan conflict, with a focus on The New Vision and Daily Monitor newspapers. It was guided by two specific objectives: first, to determine the extent to which peace or war journalism dominated the reporting of the 2013/14 South Sudan conflict in The New Vision and Daily Monitor; and second, to analyze the dominant frames used in presenting peace or war journalism in the coverage of the conflict by either newspaper. The study employed a descriptive research design with a quantitative comparative framing. Using a census sampling method, two newspapers—The New Vision and Daily Monitor—were selected for analysis of their coverage of the 2013–2014 South Sudan conflict. The research introduced new questions focusing on the dominant frames used for peace or war journalism within this coverage, addressed through secondary data analysis. Content analysis was carried out on 135 articles from The New Vision and 15 from Daily Monitor. The data was drawn from news reports, editorials, and analytical pieces published in both newspapers. The study found that peace-oriented reporting dominated media coverage of the 2013/14 South Sudan conflict in Uganda. In The New Vision, 71.1% of 135 articles promoted peace journalism, while 28.9% reflected war journalism. Although Daily Monitor featured fewer stories, only 15, all were peace focused. Most coverage emphasized dialogue, peace talks, and conflict resolution, with analysts advocating non-violent approaches. However, The New Vision occasionally presented biased, confrontational content. Overall, Ugandan media leaned toward peace journalism. The study recommends that journalists be trained on their social responsibilities, ethical reporting during conflicts and the importance of investigative journalism to promote peace and public interest.