Drought has been a recurring crisis in Somalia, often leading to crop failure, depletion of water supplies, and decreased natural vegetation due to insufficient rainfall. As a consequence, it causes a mass scale death of livestock and human beings, putting the country on the brink of famine. Existing research sheds light on the profound impacts of drought on people’s livelihood and socioeconomic progress, as well as the intricate relationships between drought and famine. However, there is a limited analysis of how media frame droughts in post-conflict contexts, especially in Somalia.

This thesis addresses this gap by critically analysing how the BBC and CNN portray the drought situation in Somalia. Furthermore, we examine the implications of these framings on international aid actions. To achieve this, we conducted a careful content analysis utilizing “frame theory” as an approach to data analysis, drawing on Entman's (1993) four framing elements.

The findings from our analysis show a consistent framing pattern used by both BBC and CNN, portraying Somalia’s draughts as a cute humanitarian crisis. In their coverage, these media outlets underscore the critical role of international humanitarian aid organizations in providing necessary assistance. This framing underscores the media's critical role in drawing aid organisations' attention to an ongoing global humanitarian crisis.