ABSTRACT
This chapter describes methods for analyzing that information and arguments are framed in media coverage of political news. The chapter focuses on frames in the news rather than frame-building or frame-setting processes. It begins by defining the meaning of "frames" and linking "framing" to the psychology of attitudes. After describing an approach to identifying frames in the mass media, the chapter outlines a theory of how such frames influence popular interpretations of politics. In contrast to the focus of most prior work, which emphasizes the frequency with which frames are used, a novel feature of the framing theory is its identification of contextual features of frames that are predicted to affect opinions. The chapter illustrates how the details of frames can be identified in a content analysis of fourteen distinct national, state, and local issues, examined over time. The results of framing analysis highlight the usefulness of taking a longitudinal approach to studying the frequency, balance, and interaction of frames.
