How Media Framing Shapes Public Perception of Protests: The Power of Narrative in News Coverage
ICM 802: Media and Communication Research Methods (Originally submitted Dec 2022)Media framing influences whether protests are seen as legitimate demands for justice or disruptive chaos. This study explores how mass media shaped public perception of the 2020 George Floyd protests, applying Framing Theory, Agenda-Setting, and the Protest Paradigm.
📰 Framing Theory: Constructing Public Perception
Media shapes understanding by highlighting some aspects of an event while ignoring others.
🔹 Key Types of Media Framing
✅ Episodic Framing – Focuses on isolated, dramatic events (e.g., violence, clashes), often portraying protests as chaotic.
✅ Thematic Framing – Connects protests to broader systemic issues, encouraging deeper discussions on justice and reform.
📌 Why It Matters?
🔹 Episodic framing leads audiences to blame individual protesters rather than systemic injustices.
🔹 Thematic framing encourages policy discussions and societal change.
📉 The Protest Paradigm: How Media Delegitimizes Protests
The Protest Paradigm suggests that mainstream news often portrays protests negatively, focusing on violence, disruption, or police clashes.
🔹 How Media Framed the George Floyd Protests
1. How Media Framed the George Floyd Protests
This table outlines the different types of media frames used in covering the George Floyd protests and their impact on public perception.
📌 Observations from News Coverage:
✔ Coverage heavily focused on looting rather than police brutality.
✔ The January 6 Capitol Riots were initially framed as protests rather than an attack on democracy.
✔ Social media countered mainstream narratives, providing alternative perspectives.
📰 Agenda-Setting: Controlling the Narrative
Media controls which issues the public focuses on (McCombs & Shaw, 1972).
📌 Findings from the Study:
✔ More airtime was given to protest violence than peaceful demonstrations.
✔ Political leaders shaped narratives, calling BLM protesters “thugs” but Capitol rioters “patriots.”
✔ Social media played a key role, challenging biased coverage.
📉 Public Perception: Did Media Framing Change Attitudes?
A survey of 27 respondents assessed how media coverage influenced their views.
🔹 Key Findings from the Survey
2. Key Findings from the Survey on Media Perception
This table summarizes survey results assessing how media coverage influenced public views on the George Floyd protests.
📌 Key Insight:
Despite negative news framing, most respondents still viewed the protests positively, suggesting alternative sources (social media, independent outlets) influenced perceptions more than mainstream media.
📌 Why This Matters: The Need for Change
🔹 Media framing shapes how protests are perceived—whether as legitimate movements or threats to society.
🔹 Negative framing (e.g., riot narratives) can delegitimize calls for justice, influencing public opinion and policy responses.
🔹 Comparative framing exposes bias:
✔ The George Floyd protests were often framed around violence, overshadowing demands for systemic change.
✔ The January 6 Capitol attack was initially described as a protest rather than an insurrection.
🔹 Media control over narratives influences historical memory, determining how future generations understand movements for justice.
📢 Join the Discussion!
💬 Do you think media framing influenced public perception of the George Floyd protests?
🔍 How does media coverage differ for protests led by different racial groups?
✍️ Drop your thoughts in the comments!
📢 Help spread awareness! Share this post. 🌎
🔮 Future Research: What’s Next?
Further research should explore:
✔ Social media’s role in shaping counter-narratives.
✔ How different racial groups interpret protest coverage.
✔ The long-term impact of negative framing on social movements.
📥 Want to Dive Deeper into the Research?
For a detailed analysis of media framing, representation, and its impact on public perception, download the full research study on media narratives, stereotypes, and their influence on protests.
📖 Inside the Full Study:
✔ How media shapes public opinion through framing
✔ The impact of stereotypes on protest legitimacy
✔ Comparative analysis of coverage on different movements
👉 Click Below to Download the Full PDF and explore the research in depth!
