Newspaper Coverage of Mars in the United States and the United Kingdom 2011-2016

Abstract

The news media have documented the missions of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) since its formation in 1958. Little of that coverage, however, has focused on Mars exploration and colonization, which has only recently become a serious target of interest for NASA. The current study examines how three elite print newspapers in the United States and three in the United Kingdom framed Mars coverage between 2011 and 2016. A content analysis found that most of the frames were similar to those observed in previous studies, such as exploration, scientific knowledge, business, nationalism, settlement, legacy, and fear. New frames, including life, health, social justice, and social engagement, emerged from the current study. The framing and tone of Mars articles were deployed similarly in U.S. and U.K. newspapers despite the different objectives of each country's space program. From the Apollo moon shots to human exploration of Mars, each successive era of spaceflight has been framed in a logical progression from concept to completion that resonates with the values of the times.