Analyzing media content in Turkiye and the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic considering the dimensions of quadruple helix collaboration processes

Abstract

The outbreak of COVID-19 between 2020 and 2022 highlighted the significant role of news media as a tool of communication among different social actors. Due to the novelty of the virus, most citizens turned to official news outlets to obtain reliable information about the disease and pandemic regulations. Therefore, a content analysis of news coverage in different countries provides insight into their Quadruple Helix dynamics, which reflects new patterns of knowledge democracy under consideration of the media-based public sphere. This article aims to trace the patterns of prevalent topics related to COVID-19 news in Turkish and British mainstream news agencies between September 2020 and March 2022. By deploying content analysis, this research endeavours to elicit public discourses created around the pandemic. These media agencies engaged in critical commentary on the pandemic situation and the policies enacted during this period, updating citizens with the latest information. However, the differences in the political and social structures of each country influence their Quadruple Helix knowledge exchange, which has a high impact on transformation processes.