Framing Theory

It is the direction of how the reader will perceive the subject by highlighting a specific aspect of an event, rather than its entirety.

Framing is concerned with how the news is understood rather than what it tells. Even if the event remains the same, the words used, the photos chosen, and the highlighted details completely change the meaning. Calling an action a ‘protest’ or a ‘riot’ is a framing preference that directly determines the reader’s perspective on the event. This situation is the most powerful influence tool in the hands of the media.

Example: A tax increase being framed as an ‘economic measure’ in some news and as a ‘burden on the citizen’ in others.

Go deeper

News texts are never a neutral mirror; the context in which the event will be presented is always an editorial choice. Framing is done not only by word choice, but also by who is given a voice in the news, how the background information is constructed, and which consequences of the event are focused on. For example, an unemployment news item can be given as a macroeconomic statistic or it can be processed as an individual drama. Both frames create different emotional and cognitive reactions in the reader. Critical reading requires noticing which frame the event is presented from before focusing on the event itself.