Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: It is well known that during crises the public depends almost entirely on the media for vital information, for interpretation of events, and for emotional support. In American politics the normal political dissension is often suspended when international or domestic crises take place (e.g., sudden death or terror, assassination of well-known leaders). Mass media take a far less critical stance toward government policies and largely serve as patriots when solidarity building is important. The horrific terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., set off a world upside down with repercussions we cannot foresee. Since then, terrorism has become a predominant topic in the news. While there has been a great deal of scholarly attention paid to the role of radio and television in the wake of September 11 terrorist attacks (e.g., rally effects and willingness to accept censorship), studies of how the terrorist attacks were covered by the print media are very rare. This study fills this vacuum by looking at the nuances of framing the terrorist attacks in the front pages of southern states newspapers in the United States. From the perspective of sociology of news-making, we examine how southern states newspapers framed this horrific event and served this important solidarity-building function in the wake of the terrorist attacks. Specifically, we examine the various framing and rhetorical devices used in the coverage such as the features of headlines, graphic photos, metaphors, exemplars, catchphrases in addition to dominant frames. The implications of this study for future framing/content studies will be discussed.