Coverage of Holiday Philanthropy: Media and Social Responsibility

• In Event: Advances in Framing Research: Content Analyses

Abstract

The mass media play a significant role during celebrations of both secular and religious holidays by promoting shared cultural and national experiences. This study offers for the first time an innovative framework for analysis of mass media as an independent social and philanthropic actor during holidays. The paper integrates theories and concepts from the fields of both communication and philanthropy, which yielded new types of frames and linkages between them and types of media. The philanthropy models include donor, donation and beneficiary. The communication theories include social responsibility, mobilization, framing and types of media: elite popular, financial, religious and new. The framework was tested on coverage of philanthropy in the Israeli media from 2006 to 2009, during two major Jewish national holidays: New-Year and Passover. The media acted as an independent actor and conducted social philanthropic campaigns. The media outlets created frames in line with their ideological or professional orientation.

Authors

• Shani Horowitz-Rozen, Bar-Ilan U.

• Eytan Gilboa, Bar-Ilan U