Symbolically included,substantively excluded? A content analysis of third-party news coverage in Jamaican general elections

Abstract

The rule of anticipated importance holds that journalists allocate limited resources to stories deemed most significant to audiences, often disadvantaging third-party candidates. This study explores the Jamaican context through a content analysis of 100 newspaper articles. Results show no difference in the level of coverage between third and mainstream parties, contrary to mostly U.S.-based studies. However, third parties were framed as less conventional. These findings highlight the need to examine Global South media systems more deeply.