THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN FRAMING ZIKA LITERACY: A TEXTUAL STUDY OF THE NEW YORK TIMES’ HEALTH AND WELLNESS BLOG

Abstract

Social media have been a key player in our day-to-day life. From new disease to latest technology, it has been predominant in our life. Blogs as part of new media have also been contributing our lifestyle. This research has been conducted on New York Times’ health blog, and the relevant comments from the bloggers, and reader to examine how Zika has been depicted in this health blog and contributed to existing knowledge. In the findings, it has been salient that Zika was framed as global threat, global health emergency, national crisis, minimal health risk, preventable disease and WHO is responsible for it. Such framings of the infectious disease in the social media obviously create an attributed picture of Zika as both educative and dangerous.

The contradictory aspects of framing the disease in such a way definitely offer of an issue that is still in early stages and being formulated, encouraging blog interests and opinions. Despite all the misrepresentation of Zika, there is a wide range of possibilities that both bloggers and readers have an extensive platform to learn, discuss, and share their knowledge of the epidemic and thus, they become literate on the topic.