The connection between the news media and local-level education policy in Omaha, Nebraska during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

In the 1990s, research pertaining to the media and education was relatively new. Scholars sought research that explored the media and education policy as the media was deemed powerful and education policy was ever evolving. While existing research has explored the connection between the news media and education policy on a national or state level, there is scare research completed on a city or local level.

This dissertation used qualitative research to investigate a possible connection between the local news media and education policy in Omaha, Nebraska from March 2020 to September 2020. The first thematic analysis explored the themes in the Omaha news media. The second thematic analysis explored the trends in the education policies passed by the Omaha Public School Board. The results were analysed together to gain a deeper understanding into the connection or lack thereof.

The dissertation results included Omaha news media themes related to feelings, challenges, and logistics. There was also a ‘negative’ tone identified in the news articles. Additionally, the trends in the education policy passed by the Omaha School Board related mainly to improvement and the operation of the school district and classroom. Interestingly, COVID-19 policies were not abundant enough to generate a specific COVID-19 theme. Instead, COVID-19 policies fell under the theme of ‘Safety’.

The themes in the Omaha news media and trends in the Omaha Public School Board policies were analysed together alongside previous research. There was a slight connection between the news media and education policy in Omaha during the timeframe; the only identified overlap related to COVID-19 safety. However, with the support of previous literature, it is suggested that the Omaha news media may have acted as an informant of education policy and potentially a ‘watchdog’.

The results of this dissertation indicated that the connection between the media and education policy in the case analysed was either minimal or difficult to establish. Therefore, this dissertation suggested that future research continue to further explore the connection between the media and education policy on a local level. The results may contribute to the growing body of literature on media and education policy because this dissertation may have validated the argument that the media informs the public and education sector about education policies.