Insights from Analyzing Media Coverage of COVID-19

After dropping out of high school due to school refusal, I was aiming to go to university while dealing with anxiety. It was during this time that I became interested in the SFC curriculum, which seemed to offer a free learning environment. I learned about the diverse student body at SFC, including those pursuing their own research, dedicating themselves to sports, or starting businesses. I thought I could conduct research that transcends academic fields, and my desire to take on that challenge grew stronger.

Right after I enrolled, the COVID-19 pandemic was just beginning to spread. I hadn't yet narrowed down my field of research. When I had the chance to talk with my class advisor and co-advisor, I mentioned my interest in medical reporting, and they introduced me to the Naohisa Yahagi Seminar, which I am now a part of.

Professor Yahagi's advice was to track COVID-related media coverage over a period of about a year and a half. I thought that by analyzing the data, I might discover some interesting trends. In the seminar, I also received advice from a senior student in the Doctoral Programs and began tracking the data while learning how to handle it.

The research method is "analysis of formulaic phrases using natural language processing." I apply natural language processing to newspaper articles and other sources to extract formulaic expressions using a statistical probability model. As I continued this for a while, I began to see that even the news reports I casually listened to every day had certain characteristics and trends.

The content of the messages clearly differed depending on the speaker, such as the Prime Minister, the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, and the Japan Medical Association. The Prime Minister often used expressions indicating broad policies and stances, such as "safety and security," while a key point is that the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare's statements included specific policy details. The Japan Medical Association spoke about the strain on the medical field, and I also found that their expressions changed in detail according to the increase or decrease in the number of infected people.

One of the motivations for continuing this research is my desire to systematically understand the process of "meaning-making" for specific events. By grasping the framing of the news, I can also understand the mechanism by which the intent of a message and its relationship with the audience are constructed. In the case of COVID-19, I observed many creative expressions aimed at transforming public behavior and awareness, with information dissemination as the core. This type of research can be applied to different themes and events, so I am moving forward with the hope that it will be useful for future policymaking and communication.

The data from tracking formulaic phrases reveals various other pieces of information. The different tendencies in expression among newspaper companies is one example. Furthermore, by comparing with overseas media, it may be possible to learn about the socio-cultural differences between countries. In the Eiji Oguma Seminar, which I belong to in addition to the Naohisa Yahagi Seminar, I am also learning perspectives that lead to such media analysis and applying them to my research.

Based on this research, I also became interested in the influence that language used in mass media has on other communication settings. In the future, I hope to track formulaic phrases for themes such as elections and environmental issues and establish a method for analyzing various types of communication. One of my goals is also to preserve the data in the best possible form to serve as material for future research.

SFC has few required courses and, fundamentally, no distinction between the humanities and sciences. By taking courses in a wide range of fields outside of my seminars, what I want to do and what I'm good at have gradually become clearer. At SFC, where opportunities arise from interacting with diverse people, I have also come to realize the importance of establishing my own core, such as my vision and mission.

The two seminars I belong to each have different approaches and points of focus. Feedback from both has enabled me to position my own research more precisely. The way different fields connect, like cognitive psychology and media, is part of the unique appeal of SFC.

I was also selected for SFC's research grant program, the "Gakushu/Kenkyu Shoreikin" (Learning and Research Encouragement Grant) from the Kyoiku Shorei Kikin (Education Encouragement Fund). I want to delve deeper into what I can do and contribute to creating a society where everyone can live happily.