Framing Slant of Nepali Print Media about the US during MCC Saga

Authors

Keywords:

framing, the USA, print media, MCC, content analysis

Abstract

This paper examines the United States’ image during Millennium challenge
Corporation (MCC) in Nepal reflected in three print media outlets in Nepal. News
framing of the USA plays the public opinion-making role to the people during mostly
debated US’s politics and strategy project conceal with economic and development
aspects. Explanatory sequential content analysis methods have been applied to
scrutinize the contents published from Dec 16, 2021 to March 29, 2022. This study
found that the accessibility of US and her initiative in media contents was slightly
more negative (35.6%) with a lower percentage of positive tone (34.8%) reflected in
news, editorials, opinions, interviews, and remarks related to it. The aspects like
sovereignty and politics, economic, and infrastructure & development aspect frames
dominated the positive tone where strategic and cultural aspects frames found with
negative tone. Based on Entman’s media framing theory, the result highlights the four
broad image of United States as confronting global power, geopolitical agendas with
faithful economic development, supersede national interests of small country, standing
as an instrument in divisive and disruptive politic, grappling with cultural identity.

Author Biographies

Dipak Devkota, Shenzhen University

Pursuing PhD in Shenzhen University majoring in political communication

Prof. Dai Yonghong, Shenzhen University

Professor Dai is dean of the College of International Studies of Shenzhen University. He is a state-level leading talent of Shenzhen Municipality, chief expert of several major National Social Science Fund and Ministry of Education projects, and a council member of the Chinese Association for South Asian Studies. He also works as an adjunct professor at the Institute of South Asia Studies at Sichuan University, a member of the academic committee for the National High Think Tank of China Center for South Asia Studies at Sichuan University, a visiting professor of the National Institute of Governance at Huazhong University of Science and Technology, and senior visiting fellow at ISDP (Institute for Security & Development Policy, Stockholm, Sweden). Professor Dai’s research has long been focused on international relations, political communication and the world economy.

Published

2026-01-08

Issue

Vol. 19 No. 4 (2025): Winter

Section

Articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 FWU Journal of Social Sciences