Media framing is an important concept that we should familiarise ourselves with because it can influence our perception of political candidates, international events and even various other social issues. If the media tries to focus only on the negative aspects of one political candidate and the positive aspects of another, this will impact your decision for whom to vote for in the future.
Media and news networks are supposed to provide an unbiased account of the events taking place around the world. Yet, we see them use framing theory to frame the narrative of the audience. The news headlines and the contents are carefully created. To an average person, it looks like an unbiased report of the events, but in retrospect, it’s written or displayed in a way to has a deliberate effect on the receiver.
Through this article, we delve into how the framing effect is misused by the media to influence the viewpoints of the audience. What is Media Framing?
The Framing Theory
Gregory Bateson (1972) first introduced the concept of framing. He defined psychological frames as a “spatial and temporary bounding of set of interactive messages” that operate as a form of metacommunication (Hallahan, 2008).
When we talk about the effects of framing or the framing theory in the context of media, the basis is that certain events are focused by the media heavily and these events are placed within certain contexts. The audience is presented with certain information (known as the frame) and based on that information the audience chooses how to process that information.
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It could be construed as a form of second-level agenda-setting – they not only tell the audience what to think about (agenda-setting theory) but also how to think about that issue (second level agenda setting, framing theory)” — (Mass Communication Theory (Online), 2017). Framing is commonly thought of as one among many types of media effects, with persuasion, priming, agenda-setting and sometimes cueing pointed to as alternative ways that media might influence the public (Kinder 2003; Iyengar and Kinder 1987).
Kearns et. al (2017) found that when a certain demographic of people were the perpetrators, they received far more coverage, almost 44% more than any other demographics. This tendency of media to excessively broadcast news about these demographics is, no doubt, harmful. It allows society to see them as potential threats more readily than any other.
Want to know more about the underworld of media? Check out these book recommendations made just for you
- Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media
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- Trust Me, I’m Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator
- Flat Earth News: An Award-Winning Reporter Exposes Falsehood, Distortion, and Propaganda in the Global Media
Using Language as a Tool
Words are powerful tools in media framing. The selection of specific terminology can create bias, and emotional responses, and shape our understanding of events. For example, consider how the terms “protest” and “riot” can be used to describe the same public gathering, each evoking different connotations. Media outlets can employ loaded language to frame a story in a way that suits their agenda or appeals to their target audience.
Coverage of the Event
Media can also choose which event to broadcast excessively and which event to omit or broadcast in a negative light. This results in a one-sided view of what’s happening. If protests were happening for a particular cause that would have caused many people to be unappeased with the government. The media often focuses on isolated incidents, such as property damage by a few hot-headed protesters. They may not give enough coverage to the peaceful and empowering nature of the population’s call for change during protest marches.
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Through the media framing tactic, media outlets will use these isolated incidents as examples with a headline that talks about the violent nature of the protests. In doing so, they downplayed the fact that the vast majority of the protesters were peaceful and law-abiding. This completely alters the perspective of the viewers and it might encourage them to choose a side without knowing the entire story.
Visual Framing
While choices of words can have a powerful impact on the readers. The use of certain images and camera angles arouses certain emotions in the readers. This thereby influences the article’s aim to sway the audience’s views and feelings towards one particular cause. Dark close-up shots of people during peaceful protests and wide-angle distant views of violent events can be utilised. This is exactly what we mean by visual framing.
Summing up, media plays a powerful role in shaping our understanding of the world. It serves as a crucial source of information, helping us navigate the complex web of events and issues that make up our daily lives. As consumers of news, it is your responsibility to be aware of the potential for framing, exercise critical thinking and seek out diverse sources of information. This will aid you in gaining a more balanced and accurate understanding of the world around us.
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