Legitimizing or Disparaging? An analysis of visual frames in broadcast news coverage of Black Lives Matter protests

• In Event: IMET, Law & Policy, Multicultural Studies & Research Divisions - Research Presentation (Virtual)
  In Paper Competition: Multicultural Studies Divisions - Research Presentation (Virtual)

Abstract

Demonstrations following the murder of George Floyd culminated into the largest social justice movement in U.S. history. While the majority of protests were peaceful, violent imagery was prevalent across both local and national broadcast news, especially in the early stages of coverage. The proposed research builds upon previous studies of news coverage of social justice movements to understand how broadcast journalists are framing the Black Lives Matter movement. While there is thorough research on how journalists frame protests, most studies focus on textual framing or the visual framing of photographs. No previous research has provided a comprehensive analysis of the visual framing of broadcast news coverage of protests. The proposed study will culminate in the analysis of over 10,000 images from 12 days of coverage across 6 broadcast stations. Guided by previous research on the protest paradigm, the study focuses on which subject’s actions are the most salient in coverage, investigating who the broadcast journalist’s camera is watching. As news media have historically relied on visuals to allow audiences to see for themselves, it is crucial to understand how this movement is being visually framed. Disparaging or delegitimizing coverage of protests has significant negative effects on participation, support, and success of social justice movements.

Authors

• Morgan Butler, San Francisco State University

• Ashley Larson, San Francisco State University