Big Data Framing About Media Coverage in Switzerland and the USA

Big Data has become a renowned and commonly used term for describing large quantities of data and its collection for deeper analysis. Upon this analysis, valuable insights can be gained which can help, for example, to save time, reduce costs, optimize offers and achieve group-oriented strategic marketing purposes for companies. Despite the benefits Big Data can bring, the collection and analysis of data is nevertheless also connected to risks of transparency, data protection, and the abuse of it. Media channels and their content play an important role in informing society about what Big Data is, as well as communicating the surrounding benefits and risks. What is communicated to the public by the media can in turn have a significant impact on the overall perception of Big Data within a country. In this light, the present study has the overall goal of analyzing the media coverage of Big Data in Switzerland and the USA. In doing so, a media content analysis, frame analysis and cluster analysis have been employed to examine the different frames within which the topic of Big Data has been presented in the Swiss and American Press as well as its evolution over time.