From Guns to Mental Health and Accountability: Decoding Media Narratives and Audience Reactions in Public Mass Shootings
Public mass shootings pose a critical safety challenge in the U.S. This study investigates how media framing relates to public online engagement, focusing on gun regulation, mental health, and individual and political accountability across five major TV networks: ABC, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and NBC....
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Journalism and Media |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5172/6/1/11 |
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| author | Maurice N. Emelu Brent Brossmann |
| author_facet | Maurice N. Emelu Brent Brossmann |
| author_sort | Maurice N. Emelu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Public mass shootings pose a critical safety challenge in the U.S. This study investigates how media framing relates to public online engagement, focusing on gun regulation, mental health, and individual and political accountability across five major TV networks: ABC, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and NBC. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research analyzes 678 news reports and 7605 audience comments. Findings reveal significant differences in audience engagement based on framing, and in key variables show audiences taking opposite positions to their news network’s narratives. ABC, CNN, and NBC’s thematic framing, highlighting systemic failures, elicits more balanced responses, whereas Fox News and MSNBC’s episodic framing, emphasizing individual or political accountability, correlates with polarized reactions. This research extends media framing theories by showing how episodic framing reduces support for systemic reforms, emphasizing personal responsibility. The study offers crucial insights for scholars, policymakers, and journalists on media’s role in shaping public discourse on gun violence. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-afa87f3d2b084f359b20ba82c0b2f230 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2673-5172 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journalism and Media |
| spelling | doaj-art-afa87f3d2b084f359b20ba82c0b2f2302025-08-20T02:11:11ZengMDPI AGJournalism and Media2673-51722025-01-01611110.3390/journalmedia6010011From Guns to Mental Health and Accountability: Decoding Media Narratives and Audience Reactions in Public Mass ShootingsMaurice N. Emelu0Brent Brossmann1Tim Russert Department of Communication, John Carroll University, University Heights, OH 44118, USATim Russert Department of Communication, John Carroll University, University Heights, OH 44118, USAPublic mass shootings pose a critical safety challenge in the U.S. This study investigates how media framing relates to public online engagement, focusing on gun regulation, mental health, and individual and political accountability across five major TV networks: ABC, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and NBC. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research analyzes 678 news reports and 7605 audience comments. Findings reveal significant differences in audience engagement based on framing, and in key variables show audiences taking opposite positions to their news network’s narratives. ABC, CNN, and NBC’s thematic framing, highlighting systemic failures, elicits more balanced responses, whereas Fox News and MSNBC’s episodic framing, emphasizing individual or political accountability, correlates with polarized reactions. This research extends media framing theories by showing how episodic framing reduces support for systemic reforms, emphasizing personal responsibility. The study offers crucial insights for scholars, policymakers, and journalists on media’s role in shaping public discourse on gun violence.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5172/6/1/11mass shootingsgun violence accountabilityframe analysismental healthgun regulation |
| spellingShingle | Maurice N. Emelu Brent Brossmann From Guns to Mental Health and Accountability: Decoding Media Narratives and Audience Reactions in Public Mass Shootings Journalism and Media mass shootings gun violence accountability frame analysis mental health gun regulation |
| title | From Guns to Mental Health and Accountability: Decoding Media Narratives and Audience Reactions in Public Mass Shootings |
| title_full | From Guns to Mental Health and Accountability: Decoding Media Narratives and Audience Reactions in Public Mass Shootings |
| title_fullStr | From Guns to Mental Health and Accountability: Decoding Media Narratives and Audience Reactions in Public Mass Shootings |
| title_full_unstemmed | From Guns to Mental Health and Accountability: Decoding Media Narratives and Audience Reactions in Public Mass Shootings |
| title_short | From Guns to Mental Health and Accountability: Decoding Media Narratives and Audience Reactions in Public Mass Shootings |
| title_sort | from guns to mental health and accountability decoding media narratives and audience reactions in public mass shootings |
| topic | mass shootings gun violence accountability frame analysis mental health gun regulation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5172/6/1/11 |
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