Abstract

Abstract

Media Representation of Social Movements: A Case Study of Canadian Coverage of Iran

Aatefeh Padidar

This thesis examines how three major Canadian news organizations—CBC News, CTV News, and Global News—reported on Iran’s anti-hijab movement following the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022. While the movement’s global significance has been widely acknowledged, scholarly attention to how Canadian media narrate and interpret events in Iran remains limited. This study addresses that gap by analyzing the journalistic strategies and constraints shaping coverage of a complex international issue within a highly restricted media environment.
The research employs a dual qualitative methodology. First, a content analysis of fifteen news articles published between September 2022 and May 2024 identifies key themes, dominant frames, and source dynamics across the three outlets. Second, eleven semi-structured interviews with journalists provide insight into the challenges of reporting without direct access, including reliance on digital verification, diaspora networks, and newsroom pressures.
Together, these methods show how Canadian journalists negotiate issues of accuracy, representation, and responsibility when covering transnational human rights movements. Findings reveal structural constraints such as limited resources, lack of correspondents on the ground, and difficulties verifying information under state censorship. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of Canadian international journalism and underscores the need for greater institutional support and more sustained, context-rich reporting on restricted environments like Iran.