unisca framing

What’s framing? Towards a definition The process of framing Cases Questions

Framing the newsLecture at the UNISCA Summer Academy

Damian Trilling

[email protected]@damian0604

Afdeling CommunicatiewetenschapUniversiteit van Amsterdam

16-07-2013

Framing the News Damian Trilling


1 What’s framing?Different examples. . .. . . and their communalities

2 Towards a definitionBeyond the transmission beltDefinitions, definitions, definitionsHow many news frames are there?

3 The process of framingHow do frames emerge?What communicators hope

4 CasesCase 1: Frame adoption on TwitterCase 2: Strategic framing vs Issue framingCase 3: Framing Immigration

5 Questions



Different examples. . .

What’s framing?




Edward Snowden

Traitorhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5Ft_crmhDw

Loser, Highschool dropout, louchefigure

Herohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmt9Y2T5_ow

Defender of 4th amendment, Teller ofthe Truth


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5Ft_crmhDw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5Ft_crmhDw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmt9Y2T5_ow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmt9Y2T5_ow



Abortus

Own choice

Murder




Abortus

Own choice Murder




What would you choose?600 people suffer from a serious illness:

Positive framing:Treatment A: saves 200 livesTreatment B: 33% chance ofsaving all 600 people, 66%chance of saving no one.

Negative framingTreatment A: 400 People will dieTreatment B: 33% chance thatno people will die, 66% chancethat all will die.

Treatment A was chosen by 72% of participants when it was presented withpositive framing (“saves 200 lives”) dropping to only 22% when the samechoice was presented with negative framing (“400 people will die”).

Tversky, A., & Kahneman, D. (1981). The Framing of decisions and the psychology of choice. Science, 211(4481), 453–458. doi:10.1126/science.7455683.



. . . and their communalities

What do we see?

It is . . .

• not (primarily) about contesting facts• but about highlighting certain aspects. . .• . . . and neglecting others

⇒ The topic is framed in a different way




What do we see?

It is . . .

• not (primarily) about contesting facts

• but about highlighting certain aspects. . .• . . . and neglecting others





What do we see?

It is . . .

• not (primarily) about contesting facts• but about highlighting certain aspects. . .

• . . . and neglecting others





What do we see?

It is . . .

• not (primarily) about contesting facts• but about highlighting certain aspects. . .• . . . and neglecting others





What do we see?

In these examples, the case was framed as

• treason vs. heroic whistle-blowing• murder vs. self-determination• gains vs. losses




What do we see?


• treason vs. heroic whistle-blowing

• murder vs. self-determination• gains vs. losses




What do we see?


• treason vs. heroic whistle-blowing• murder vs. self-determination

• gains vs. losses




What do we see?


• treason vs. heroic whistle-blowing• murder vs. self-determination• gains vs. losses



Towards a definition



Beyond the transmission belt

Beyond the transmission belt

“Old” models of masscommunicationsaw mass communication as atransmission belt or a hypodermicneedle: messages would influencethe innocent public, everyone inlargely the same way

“Newer” models of masscommuncationfocus on the circumstances underwhich messages have some(intendend or unintended) effects



Definitions, definitions, definitions

Definitions, definitions, definitionsWhat are frames?

• “patterns of interpretation through which people classifyinformation in order to handle it efficiently” (Scheufele, 2004)

• “[. . . ] framing is concerned with how events, issues, or socialactors are organized in communicative messages and thethinking of individuals” (Strömbäck & Van Aelst, 2010)

• “an emphasis in salience of different aspects of a topic” (DeVreese, 2005)

De Vreese, C. H. (2005). News framing: Theory and typology. Information design journal+ document design,13(1), 51-62.Scheufele, B. (2004). Framing-effects approach: A theoretical and methodological critique. Communications,29(4), 401–428. doi:10.1515/comm.2004.29.4.401Strömbäck, J. & Van Aelst, P. (2010). Exploring some antecedents of the media’s framing of election news: Acomparison of Swedish and Belgian election news. The International Journal of Press/Politics, 15(1), 41-59.





Entman’s definitionFraming is

• “to select some aspects of a perceived reality• and make them more salient in a communicating text• in such a way as to promote a particular

1 problem definition,2 causal interpretation,3 moral evaluation,4 and/or treatment recommendation

for item described”

Entman, R. (1993). Framing: Toward a clarification of a fractured paradigm. Journal of Communication, 43(4),51-58.






• “to select some aspects of a perceived reality

• and make them more salient in a communicating text• in such a way as to promote a particular









• “to select some aspects of a perceived reality• and make them more salient in a communicating text

• in such a way as to promote a particular










1 problem definition,

2 causal interpretation,3 moral evaluation,4 and/or treatment recommendation









1 problem definition,2 causal interpretation,

3 moral evaluation,4 and/or treatment recommendation









1 problem definition,2 causal interpretation,3 moral evaluation,

4 and/or treatment recommendationfor item described”




How many news frames are there?


Semetko & Valkenburg (2000)Five dominant news frames:

1 conflict frames2 human interest frames3 morality frames4 attribution of responsibility frames5 economic consequences frames

Semetko, H.A., & Valkenburg, P.M. (2000). Framing European politics: A content analysis of press and televisionnews. Journal of Communication, 50(2), 93-109. doi:10.1111/j.1460-2466.2000.tb02843.x





Matthes & Kohring (2008)Limitations of the deductive approach:

• inflexible• not possible to identify new emerging frames

⇒ Frames as clusters of frame elements (→ Entman’s definition)Example: Framing of biotechnology in the NYT: economicprospect frame, genetic identity frame, research benefit frame.

Matthes, J., & Kohring, M. (2008). The content analysis of media frames: Toward improving reliability andvalidity. Journal of Communication, 58(2), 258-279. doi:10.1111/j.1460-2466.2008.00384.x







⇒ Frames as clusters of frame elements (→ Entman’s definition)

Example: Framing of biotechnology in the NYT: economicprospect frame, genetic identity frame, research benefit frame.








⇒ Frames as clusters of frame elements (→ Entman’s definition)Example: Framing of biotechnology in the NYT: economicprospect frame, genetic identity frame, research benefit frame.




The process of framing



How do frames emerge?






Frame building“the question of how frames get established in societal discourseand how different frames compete for adoption by societal elitesand journalists” (Tewksbury & Scheufele, 2009)

Tewksbury, D., & Scheufele, D.A. (2009). News framing theory and research. In J. Bryant & M.B. Oliver (Eds.),Media effects. Advances in theory and research (3rd ed., pp. 17– 33). New York, NY: Routledge.




How do frames emerge?The strategic framing by spin doctors

• In professional campaigning, deliberate framing wasintroduced in the understanding that “the effort of themessages was not a function of content differences but ofdifferences in the modes of presentation” (Scheufele & Tewksbury,2007, p. 9)

• Frames as “social stereotypes”: political actors have toaddress the media or the audience corresponding to the“structured set of cognitions, emotions, and evaluations at theindividual level” (Nelson, 2011, p. 195)

Nelson, T. E. (2011). Issue framing. In J. Lawrence & R. Y. Shapiro (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of Americanpublic opinion and the media (pp. 188–203). Oxford Handbooks Online.doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199545636.001.0001Scheufele, D.A., & Tewksbury, D. (2007). Framing, Agenda Setting, and Priming: The evolution of three mediaeffects models. Journal of Communication, 57(1), 9–20. doi:10.1111/j.1460-2466.2006.00326.x





What influences journalists’ frame choices?

• Individual journalist’s influences: ideological background,social values and norms, . . .

• Organizational routines of the medium: type of medium,political orentation, culture, processes, . . .

• External influences: market forces, pressure by political actors,elite groups, . . .

Scheufele, D.A. (1999). Framing as a theory of media effects. Journal of Communication, 49, 101–120.



What communicators hope

What communicators hope

A PR guy’s dreampolitician’s/organization’s frame ⇒ journalist’s frame ⇒ public’sframe



Cases



Case 1: Frame adoption on Twitter

Case 1: Frames in US presidential candidate debate

Schulze, H., & Trilling, D. (2013, February). Of binders and bayonets: Measuring the adoption of frames from theUS Presidential Debates on Twitter. Paper presented at the Etmaal van de Communicatiewetenschap, Rotterdam.



Case 1: Frame adoption on Twitter

Case 1: Frame adoption

What can we learn?

• Actors are not always succesfull in setting a frame• Some frames are “sexier” than others• If a frame is adopted, it is more likely to be accepted thanrejected

⇒ Try to establish your own frame rather than challengeyour competitor’s frame!

Schulze, H., & Trilling, D. (2013, February). Of binders and bayonets: Measuring the adoption of frames from theUS Presidential Debates on Twitter. Paper presented at the Etmaal van de Communicatiewetenschap, Rotterdam.



Case 2: Strategic framing vs Issue framing


Dominant frames in political news coveragePolitics can – broadly spoken – be framed in two ways:

• as a game: who is winning? who has the better strategy? ...• substantially: what are the arguments? what is the bestsolution?

The first is obviously more fun. . .. . . but is it the best solution for political actors and for democracy?







The first is obviously more fun. . .

. . . but is it the best solution for political actors and for democracy?







The first is obviously more fun. . .. . . but is it the best solution

for political actors and for democracy?







The first is obviously more fun. . .. . . but is it the best solution for political actors

and for democracy?







The first is obviously more fun. . .. . . but is it the best solution for political actors and for democracy?




Horse-race framing in US media in 2010

http://www.journalism.org/analysis_report/frame_coverageFraming the News Damian Trilling



In Europe, strategic frames (as opposed to issue frames) arepresent in between a third and half of the election coverage.

Strömbäck, J. & Van Aelst, P. (2010). Exploring some antecedents of the media’s framing of election news: Acomparison of Swedish and Belgian election news. The International Journal of Press/Politics, 15(1), 41-59.




Is this bad news?

Maybe.

Strategic news frames can (in some cases) increase cynicismBut: One can also think of positive outcomes: For example,conflict framing might aid recallAnd also, certain frames might help motivate people to participate

De Vreese, C. H. (2005). The Spiral of Cynicism Reconsidered. European Journal of Communication, 20(3),283–301. doi:10.1177/0267323105055259Valkenburg, P.M., Semetko, H.A., & De Vreese, C.H. (1999). The effects of news frames on readers’ thoughts andrecall. Communication Research, 26(5), 550-569. doi:10.1177/009365099026005002




Is this bad news?

Maybe.Strategic news frames can (in some cases) increase cynicism

But: One can also think of positive outcomes: For example,conflict framing might aid recallAnd also, certain frames might help motivate people to participate





Is this bad news?

Maybe.Strategic news frames can (in some cases) increase cynicismBut: One can also think of positive outcomes: For example,conflict framing might aid recall

And also, certain frames might help motivate people to participate





Is this bad news?

Maybe.Strategic news frames can (in some cases) increase cynicismBut: One can also think of positive outcomes: For example,conflict framing might aid recallAnd also, certain frames might help motivate people to participate




Case 3: Framing Immigration


Frames in Press and Parliament

• Frames in press coverage and parliamentary debates:multicultural frame, emancipation frame, restriction frame,victimization frame, islam-as-threat frame

• “An increase in the use of a frame in one arena leads to anincrease in the other arena only if this frame has already beenused regularly in the latter arena. External events have moreconsiderable and consistent impact on issue salience andframing in both arenas.”

Vliegenthart, R., & Roggeband, C. (2007). Framing immigration and integration: Relationships between press andparliament in the Netherlands. International Communication Gazette, 69(3), 295-319. doi:10.1177/1748048507076582





Vliegenthart, R., & Roggeband, C. (2007). Framing immigration and integration: Relationships between press andparliament in the Netherlands. International Communication Gazette, 69(3), 295-319. doi:10.1177/1748048507076582



To conclude

Framing . . .

• means that certain aspects of a topic are highlighted• a frame implies specific interpretation (and different actions)• can be deliberatively chosen by political actors• but their acceptance by journalists or public is subject to a lotof factors

• establishing an own frame can be a key to succes



Any questions?

Damian Trilling

[email protected]@damian0604


unisca framing

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