The role of news coverage in constructing the putative voter: a critical discourse analysis of local news coverage of same-sex marriage

Despite global progress toward marriage equality, most same-sex couples live in jurisdictions that do not perform or recognize same-sex marriages. Increasingly favorable attitudes toward LGBTQ+ people are promising sign but legislation affecting the rights of marginalized groups does not always keep pace with public opinion. This study explores the sociopolitical dynamics around such issues through a critical discourse analysis of local news coverage of a same-sex marriage ban in the state of North Carolina. Through discursively constructed "storylines" in news coverage, social actors were positioned in ideologically meaningful ways with respect to power, agency, and morality. The primary storyline of opponents framed the issue as one of civil rights and positioned LGBTQ+ couples as oppressed minorities. Because storylines provide interpretive frameworks and can serve as resources for identity construction, one way the news media can mediate the formation of political opinions is by inviting voters to interpolate themselves into a narrative and take on the identity suggested by it. These identities can entail positions for or against an issue. Findings demonstrate how discriminatory ideas and values can be covertly embedded in news discourse in a persuasive manner and have relevance to a range of social issues.