News Media Framing

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The news media plays an important role in society. It sets the stage for political news, manages their agenda, sources and controls the information. It possesses the ability to shape public knowledge and attitudes. Television remains the dominant way that Americans get news at home. Large audiences tune into local and network broadcast news but national cable news commands the most attention from its viewers. News Channels must constantly decide which facts to include, whom to use as sources, and what is really important in reporting a story. These choices combine to create a frame. The concept of framing is related to the essence of the issues at hand rather than on a particular topic. The media focuses attention on certain events …show more content…
Many used frames by media include the “war on drugs”, the “cold war”, or a person’s ‘battle with cancer’ because these phrases elicit widely shared images and meanings. Through reporting, the media may present the facts of a story in such a way that the audience is given a particular point of view or frame of reference and interpretation. The media may report that a political candidate has extreme views on an issue, that a new medicine is of questionable safety or that a budget proposal is harmful to a certain group. This type of reporting, the media has presented a frame through which the story is interpreted by audiences. It also sets the baseline for future reporting on the issue. One example of framing in current news is Bernie Sanders candidacy when it was stated “We all know Bernie Sanders can’t win”. This statement can be seen as a particular point of view or frame of reference and interpretation. For political purposes, framing often presents facts in such a way that implicates a problem that is in need of a solution. Members of political parties attempt to frame issues in a way that makes a solution favoring their own political leaning appear the most appropriate course of action for the situation at hand. When the Bush’s administration first responded to the assault of September 11, 2001, it was to frame the acts of terror …show more content…
Fox News has a lineup of conservative talk show hosts while MSNBC features a team of liberal ones. CNN reports national and global breaking news events. The perception is that because of their distinct identities they appeal to different, politically segmented audiences. News channels determine what we believe to be important issues by paying attention to some problems and ignoring others. When television news focuses on a problem, the public’s priorities are altered and then altered again as television news moves on to something new. Fox News Channel has been the highest rated cable news source especially for political information for television news watchers. Recent content analysis research on Fox News indicates that the station’s coverage may lean more towards Republican issues and leaders than their Democratic counterparts. Aday, Livingston, and Hebert (2005) demonstrated that Fox News’ coverage of the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 displayed more support for the Bush-led invasion than did other news channels. During President Obama’s 2008 campaign he stated “I’m convinced that if there were no Fox News, I might be two or three percentage points higher in the polls”. Before cable news, individuals who were negative towards the media did not have any other alternatives. However, due to the emergence of cable news, viewers are allowed

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