Open AccessNewspaper Coverage of Intimate Partner Violence: Skewing Representations of Risk
Author(s) -
Carlyle Kellie E.,
Slater Michael D.,
Chakroff Jennifer L.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of communication
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1460-2466
pISSN - 0021-9916
DOI - 10.1111/j.1460-2466.2007.00379.x
Subject(s) - newspaper , framing (construction) , media coverage , domestic violence , poison control , homicide , perception , suicide prevention , social issues , advertising , psychology , political science , geography , sociology , environmental health , business , medicine , media studies , archaeology , neuroscience , law
How media portray intimate partner violence (IPV) has implications for public perceptions and social policy. Therefore, to better understand these portrayals, this study content analyzes a nationally representative sample of newspaper coverage of IPV over a 2‐year period and compares this coverage to epidemiological data in order to examine the implications of the discrepancies between coverage and social reality. Stratified media outlets across the country were used to obtain a representative sample of daily newspapers based on their designated market areas, resulting in 395 IPV‐related articles. Results show that newspaper framing of IPV tends to be heavily skewed toward episodic framing. In addition, there are significant differences between our data and epidemiological estimates, particularly in the coverage of homicide and use of alcohol and illegal drugs, which may skew public perceptions of risk. Implications for public perceptions and social policy are discussed.