Blurring the Lines: News Media Faming of Ideological and Non-Ideological Mass Shootings

• In Event: Media Representations of Mass Shootings and Violent Episodic Crime

Abstract

Despite the statistically low probability of a mass shooting occurring, there remains heightened public concern that these events are both frequent and increasing. Simultaneously, fear over radical Islamic terror, particularly in a post-9/11 era, also remains heightened. While mass shootings and terrorism historically have been regarded as separate and distinct phenomena, the recent shootings in San Bernardino and Orlando have blurred the line to the point that these terms are used interchangeably, due in large part to the media coverage of such events. The present study assesses both the similarities and differences in the framing of ideological and non-ideological mass shootings as they are covered by the media. A sample of articles in the New York Times for both ideological (mass shootings by U.S.-based jihadi terrorists and far-right extremists) and non-ideological (school and workplace shootings) attacks are analyzed to assess how they are framed and how coverage patterns shift over time. Potential policy implications, as well as limitations and directions for future research, also are discussed.

Authors

• Jaclyn Schildkraut, State University of New York - Oswego

• Jeff Gruenewald, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis