The Difference Between Russian & American Media Framing Techniques On The Russian Crimean Annexation

Author(s)

Michael Spicer

School Name

Spring Valley High School

Grade Level

11th Grade

Presentation Topic

Psychology and Sociology

Presentation Type

Non-Mentored

Written Paper Award

3rd Place

Abstract

/ This paper explores the effect of media framing on national media reports toward the 2014 Russian annexation of the Crimea, a region that previously belonged to the Ukraine. 23 Russian news articles and 23 American news articles were coded to develop measures that captured different framing techniques between the two country samples. Each article was coded for two types of issue-specific frames: 1) the extent to which an article discussed the role of history in explaining why Russia annexed the Crimea; and 2) the extent to which it discussed the role that international law played, or should have played, in the annexation process. Based on a review of the media framing literature, three additional general framing techniques were coded: 1) self and other referential frames; 2) gain-based and loss-based frames; and 3) the use of direct quotations. The results find general support for the hypothesis that the way that newspaper articles report on an event, and therefore the information that members of a single country receive, depend strongly on the point of view of the general political attitude that resides in a national settings. The evidence in this case supports a general finding found across media framing studies: newspaper reports do not challenge existing political opinions, but instead act mainly to reinforce them.

Location

Owens 109

Start Date

4-16-2016 12:00 PM

COinS
 
Apr 16th, 12:00 PM

The Difference Between Russian & American Media Framing Techniques On The Russian Crimean Annexation

Owens 109

/ This paper explores the effect of media framing on national media reports toward the 2014 Russian annexation of the Crimea, a region that previously belonged to the Ukraine. 23 Russian news articles and 23 American news articles were coded to develop measures that captured different framing techniques between the two country samples. Each article was coded for two types of issue-specific frames: 1) the extent to which an article discussed the role of history in explaining why Russia annexed the Crimea; and 2) the extent to which it discussed the role that international law played, or should have played, in the annexation process. Based on a review of the media framing literature, three additional general framing techniques were coded: 1) self and other referential frames; 2) gain-based and loss-based frames; and 3) the use of direct quotations. The results find general support for the hypothesis that the way that newspaper articles report on an event, and therefore the information that members of a single country receive, depend strongly on the point of view of the general political attitude that resides in a national settings. The evidence in this case supports a general finding found across media framing studies: newspaper reports do not challenge existing political opinions, but instead act mainly to reinforce them.