The Image of China and Russia in the US Press During the Pandemic

Abstract

The United States press negatively portrays both Russia and China. During the current pandemic the image of these authoritarian states has become even more negative. The coronavirus situation works as interaction effects when more radical attitudes are reflected in the internet messengers and internet media. Previous media topics of US criticism have given the way to a dominant topic – the Chinese responsibility for a virus. Any success story coming either from China or Russia is doubted or silenced. No positive news can be found in the authoritarian political system. The data based on New York Times publications are used for the content analysis of the image of Russia and China.