How Viagra Has Been Framed Since Its Launch: A Framing Analysis of Major Newspapers in South Korea and the USA

ABSTRACT

This study was designed to compare the coverage of Viagra by newspapers in South Korea and the United States, considering that different sexual cultures exist in these two countries. A total of 421 articles from four major newspapers, Chosun Ilbo and Dong-A Ilbo in Korea and The New York Times and USA Today in the United States, were analyzed. It was found that Korean newspapers covered Viagra as a medical drug, whereas American newspapers more frequently framed Viagra as a social influencer. Also, it was determined that American newspapers more frequently drew information from drug manufacturers and patients, whereas Korean papers utilized experts, the government, and international or foreign news as their information sources. Further findings and implications also are discussed.