Protest or Disorder? Media Narratives and Framing of 2025 Youth Mobilization in Nepal

This study examines how Nepal’s September 2025 Gen Z protests were framed in local (The Kathmandu Post) and international (Al Jazeera English, BBC News) outlets. This research employs a quantitative content analysis of 102 articles published over 22 days across the three outlets. Utilizing Semetko and Valkenburg’s (2000) five-frame model, articles were assessed for dominant frames to identify discourse on political legitimacy and reform. Results indicate that Human Interest (32%) and Responsibility (24%) frames predominated, positioning youth activism as a legitimate movement for accountability rather than episodic unrest. While BBC News frequently employed Conflict framing, highlighting public disorder, The Kathmandu Post prioritized contextual analysis and sustained reform discourse. Additionally, tonal analysis revealed a shift from crisis-oriented narratives during peak mobilization to reform-centered discourse in the aftermath period, particularly in domestic and regional reporting. Collectively, these framing patterns normalized youth activism as a valid form of civic participation. The research contributes to protest communication scholarship by illustrating how news ecosystems shape political legitimacy and support democratic resilience in emerging democracies.