A Comparative Study of News Framing by the CNN and RT during Ukrain and Crimean Crisis (2013-2015)

Since late 2013, Ukrain has been the scene of various social-political events and developments. The Spark of crisis has started when Victor Yanakvych, the incumbent president refused signing a trade agreement with the EU. It provoked many people to oppose the decision by striking in Kiev’s Independence Square. These developments in the short term led to the emergence of a pro-Western government in Kiev, the separation of the Crimea and East regions from Ukraine. Aside the different aspects and origins of the crisis in Ukraine, the role and influence of the news media in shaping public opinion and directing the events are undeniable. The Cable News Network (CNN) and RT (Russia Today) along their strategic policies have framed the Ukrainian crisis in special directions. The main question of this paper is that how the satellite news networks of CNN and RT has framed the Ukrainian crisis. The hypotheses of this paper are: 1. The CNN has framed the Independence Square protests (Maidan Revolution) as well as overthrowing Viktor Yanukovych Government as popular and pro-democratic revolution. It also framed the referendum and annexation of the Crimean peninsula to Russia as aggression and occupation. But RT has framed the popular protest as Westen –provoked ilegal munity and the Crimian annexation as along democracy and International Law. The methodology of this paper based on descriptive-analysis research using content analysis. The data collection is carried out according to library resources and the Internet.