Faces of an Invisible Population: Human Interest Framing of Irregular Immigration News in the United States, France, and Norway

被引:60
作者
Figenschou, Tine Ustad [1 ]
Thorbjornsrud, Kjersti [2 ]
机构
[1] Univ Oslo, Dept Media & Commun, N-0317 Oslo, Norway
[2] Inst Social Res, Oslo, Norway
基金
芬兰科学院;
关键词
human interest; irregular immigration; frame complexity; news quality; ASYLUM SEEKERS; PRESS; COVERAGE; REFUGEES; CAMPAIGN; POLITICS; VICTIMS; IMPACT; FRAMES; BORDER;
D O I
10.1177/0002764215573256
中图分类号
B849 [应用心理学];
学科分类号
040203 ;
摘要
Based on a quantitative, comparative analysis of U.S., French, and Norwegian news media, this article examines the use of human interest stories in the coverage of irregular immigration. In an innovative design, it systematically analyzes how human interest framing is related to the frequency and complexity of dominant arguments and perspectives (issue-specific frames). In contrast to the extant literature, arguing that news on immigration reduces immigrants to dangerous and anonymous threats, the article finds that about half the news stories studied have a human face or example. Moreover, these human interest articles tend to frame the issue from the immigrants' perspective, describing their personal stories and struggle. This result nuances the commonly held assumption that human interest frames signal declining news quality, as the number and range of arguments presented are not significantly reduced when human narratives are employed. The prevalence of human interest frames is highest in Norway, where we also identify a reduction in frame complexity in human interest stories, indicating the need to rethink the democratic corporatist model in media system theory.
引用
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页码:783 / 801
页数:19
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