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Black Lives Matter in the National Media: Analyzing

Coverage of Legacy Newsrooms and Digital-First Outlets
Megan Palmer

Abstract
This study examines the differences in coverage of the Black Lives Matter movement
throughout its existence between national legacy newsrooms and national digital-native
newsrooms. A content analysis of 412 articles was conducted to examine how frames, tone,
language use, support and blame of relevant actors, and frequency of coverage differ between
the six newsrooms studied. The results suggest that both legacy and digital-native newsrooms
use a variety of frames in their coverage, and that digital-native newsrooms are more likely to
positively portray the movement than legacy newsrooms.

Black Lives Matter in the National Media: became a platform and organizing tool for the
Analyzing Coverage of Legacy Newsrooms United States’ latest civil rights movement.
and Digital-First Outlets With each new, high-profile killing of a Black
American since 2013—Tamir Rice, Sandra
On July 13, 2013, the closely followed Bland, Michael Brown, Freddie Gray, Philando
aftermath of Trayvon Martin’s death finally Castile and Breonna Taylor to name only a
came to a head. George Zimmerman, the handful—Black Lives Matter has been
neighborhood watch coordinator who shot mentioned in the media, raising the visibility
and killed Trayvon Martin, was acquitted of and awareness of the movement time and time
the second-degree murder and manslaughter again. Today, Black Lives Matter is a globally
charges against him (Alvarez & Buckley, recognized movement, a leading force in the
2013). The killing and subsequent legal case struggle for Black justice and ending police
had been a source of national interest and violence.
debate, but the case’s final decision sparked an Today, in the wake of George Floyd’s
outcry across social media. Three Black death at the hands of Minneapolis police,
activists—Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and support for Black Lives Matter is at an all-time
Opal Tometi—created the hashtag high, with 67 percent of American adults
#BlackLivesMatter to voice their anger with supporting the movement, as compared to
the decision and its ties to a societal disregard 2016, when 43 percent of American adults
for the health and safety of Black people in the supported the movement (Pew Research
United States (Herstory, 2019). The hashtag Center, 2020). This should come as no surprise
quickly came to be more than just a means to —the uproar that was seen during the summer
find similar stories of pain and frustration—it of 2020 was unlike any other in recent

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 memory. During a time when many were holed researched.
up at home in the midst of a tragic and According to a report on national
terrifying pandemic, neglected by their media coverage of Black Lives Matter, coverage
government, and continuing to see heinous of the movement during the Trump presidency
treatment of their fellow Americans, residents had fallen until George Floyd’s killing (Mehta,
of Minneapolis showed up in droves to protest 2020). This trend begs the question of how the
the unjust killing of George Floyd. These national media has shaped the story of the
demonstrations quickly and exponentially Black Lives Matter movement in this country.
spread around the world. Interviews with The national media has certainly changed their
people who participated in the civil rights coverage of Black Lives Matter since the
movement say they have not seen this kind of movement’s inception, just as journalistic
civil disobedience in the name of Black justice coverage evolves over time for any major event,
since the 1960s (Bates, 2020; Thomsen, 2020). as reporters learn more about a topic and
There are many reasons that factor into why reporting precedent is set. Different facets of
the Black Lives Matter movement is now, at this coverage, such as frequency, language, and
this exact moment, seeing such public displays stylistic choices between legacy media
of support both nationally and internationally organizations like The New York Times and
—the ever-growing connection and power newer, digital media organizations like
fostered through social media platforms, a BuzzFeed are important to consider in this day
pandemic that has seeded a restlessness and and age. The most popular digital newsrooms
anger towards the current systems of power in the United States were created only a year or
that continue to ignore the needs of its people, two before the start of the Black Lives Matter
and the seemingly endless stream of news movement. These are organizations that were
about unconscionable Black death at the hands created in and of the moment that sparked
of law enforcement. News coverage is Black Lives Matter itself. Their coverage has
contributing to the current energy behind inherently been different from large,
Black Lives Matter, but just as the people shape established, print-first media conglomerates
a newsroom’s coverage, how a newsroom because of this. Digital-native newsrooms also
covers current events shapes their audience’s tend to be more outwardly liberal and
perception of said events (Reese, Gandy & progressive in their coverage while still being
Grant, 2001). As Phillip L. Graham once said, seen as trustworthy to many Americans (Pew
journalism is the first rough draft of history— Research Center, 2020). This points to a
much of the information that people acquire divergence in what Americans want and expect
and absorb about current events still comes from their frequented news organizations.
from credible news organizations (Mitchell, All of these variables within coverage
2020). Because of this, the media plays a are important to examine, because they have an
significant role in what the American public’s effect on Americans’ knowledge about and
perception of Black Lives Matter has been from perception of Black Lives Matter. When
the start, a concept that has been vastly under- looking at media coverage of the civil rights
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 movement, it is evident that news outlets played This is an area of research that has not yet been
a role in the shaping of this historic moment as investigated, but should be to better understand
well, whether it be by omitting from how both kinds of newsrooms are evolving and
publication certain photos of peaceful how their work is shaping the most important
protesters being harmed by law enforcement or fight for Black justice of this generation.
by keeping coverage of the explosive movement To fill this void, this study proposes to
off the front page (Alabama Public Radio, 2013; examine how digital-first newsrooms have
Cornish, 2013). The questions raised over covered the Black Lives Matter movement
media coverage are worthy of examination so compared to legacy newsrooms. This study
that national news organizations can predicts that newer, online national newsrooms
understand how their reporting is shaping our created in the early 2010s—BuzzFeed, VICE
current fight for Black American livelihood and and Vox—have published articles with greater
break old patterns of reporting that do not frequency, using more positive language than
serve the society we live in. legacy national newsrooms, like The New York
There has already been extensive Times, The Washington Post and The Wall
research done that highlights the role of social Street Journal. Digital-first platforms are still
media and peer-to-peer information sharing in new and are quicker to change according to
shaping the national conversation about Black culture and industry, whereas legacy
Lives Matter (Carney, 2016). However, other newsrooms are prone to sticking to their
research shows that online activism for Black comfort zones and are slow to adapt. To test
Lives Matter does not have an impact on what this hypothesis, I will conduct a content
is reported in the news, because reporters analysis of articles published by BuzzFeed,
continue to use “elite and official sources” when VICE, Vox, The New York Times, The
writing stories, rather than turning to social Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal
media (Erkkinen, 2017). Because of this, what is from July 13, 2013 to December 1, 2020 to
discussed online and across social media sites examine different organizational variables, such
such as Twitter can often be an echo chamber, as ideological bend and article framing. I will be
without any real notion of what information tracking how many articles are posted by each
people not present in these circles are of these organizations for each calendar year
consuming. Even more research has shown that that contain the words “Black Lives Matter” in
both local and national newspaper coverage of the headline.
Black Lives Matter can suffer from the protest Framing theory will be the primary
paradigm, a phenomenon where news outlets theoretical framework, a theory which explains
tend to portray protests as deviant or violent how “an issue can be viewed from a variety of
(Mourão, Kilgo & Sylvie, 2018; Mourão, Kilgo perspectives and be construed as having
& Sylvie, 2019). Despite all this relevant and implications for multiple values or
important research, few studies have examined considerations” (Chong & Druckman, 2007). In
the difference in coverage between national other words, a person’s opinion of a concept is
legacy newsrooms and new digital newsrooms. affected by how it is presented to them, so
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 testing for frames makes the most sense for this large and important actor in shaping
body of research. I will subsequently screen each publicopinion. Because of this reality,
of these articles for the presence and frequency researchers have tried to measure the extent of
of keywords that can point to the tone and this power (Shoemaker & Vos, 2009; Chong &
framing of the article. Words such as Druckman, 2007; Chin-Fook & Simmonds,
demonstration, protest, rioting, looting, 2011). The state of journalism in the 21st
violence, danger, reparations, and justice will century is tenuous and ever changing, but the
help to determine certain frames such as power to shape current events still holds up.
attribution of responsibility, personal interest, Gatekeeping theory and framing theory help to
and more. Words such as rioting and violence explain changes in industry standards in
will be coded as negative, words such as modern day newsrooms, that—no matter their
demonstration and protest will be coded as style, size or ideological leaning—play a pivotal
neutral, and words such as reparations and role in how Black Lives Matter and social
justice will be coded as positive. After recording movements are absorbed and understood by
the presence and frequency of these coded their audiences.
words, the results will be analyzed to draw larger
conclusions about the coverage of each of these Gatekeeping theory
news organizations and their propensity to lean According to gatekeeping theory, news
on the protest paradigm. organizations play a vital role in the function of
Researching the effects of the media's United States society (Shoemaker & Vos, 2009).
framing of Black Lives Matter is essential They report on and disseminate information
because the movement is far from over. The across communities and regions large and
field of journalism is both historically and small, helping citizens keep their finger on the
contemporarily obsessed with the notion of pulse of what is happening both around the
objectivity—an ideal that is in fact subjective to world and in their own backyard. Just as
each person and thus unattainable. Because of communities shape the coverage of any given
this, the industry has failed to properly cover newsroom, newsrooms can likewise influence
marginalized communities and movements in the coverage and perceptions of any place or
the past. In order to better cover the movement topic. This indicates a reciprocal relationship,
going forward, news outlets must be hyper but it is also worth noting the powerful
aware of the framing of their coverage and what resources and communication channels that
they are conveying to their audience. This study news organizations hold, power that everyday
aims to highlight the coverage of six major citizens have not historically held. Gatekeeping
platforms with the goal of understanding how theory recognizes this. It is described as the
these newsrooms cover Black Lives Matter and process through which events are covered and
what framings they use. shared by mass media, determining which
information is communicated, as well as the
Literature Review content and nature of these messages
Mass media in the United States has long been a (Shoemaker & Vos, 2009). Gatekeeping has
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 been around since long before it was named as a what content and news people are exposed to
theory; it simply helps to explain why news (Chin-Fook & Simmonds, 2011). Expectations
turns out the way that it does (Vos & of credibility, sourcing and newsworthiness
Heinderyckx, 2015). Not only do these become blurred in this space as users curate
newsrooms have control over societal their feeds based on their own hyper-stylized
knowledge, they have control over how society demographics. However, the vast majority of
itself is framed. This was especially true when people have such small followings on their
media was solely formatted to be in print, social media accounts that are not really
television or radio. With the advent of the considered to be gatekeepers themselves either,
internet and its now near ubiquity, journalism with only a select group of them holding
has changed forever, and thus, so has influence in reality (Wallace, 2018). Therefore,
gatekeeping. Global news events such as the news organizations, usually boasting large
Arab Spring, Occupy Wall Street and almost followings, are still sought out and relied upon
anything concerning Wikileaks have shown that for factual information in this realm across sites
news travels fast, widely and with more avenues such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
for audience participation online (Wallace, While traditional media that have found
2018). The traditional channels of new, interactive means of publishing their
communication dissemination are no longer the content online may still conceive of their
only way of getting information out into the gatekeeping as unidirectional (from institution
world. to individual), native digital and social media
The rise of internet culture has embraces multidirectional information and all
complicated and transformed gatekeeping of its relevant actors: institutions, professional
theory. Since the late 1990s, scholars have communicators, and individuals (Chin-Fook &
warned of the effect that online media would Simmonds, 2011). Consumers are aware and
have on legacy media gatekeepers and the attuned to the speed of informational access
bottleneck they have on information online, which increases their needs and
dissemination (Vos & Heinderyckx, 2015). expectations of news organizations and gives
Social media networks now play a significant them more leverage and agency to determine
role in information sharing, both for everyday what they see as true or important (Chin-Fook
people and news organizations alike. Some & Simmonds, 2011). Despite this “multiplicity
authors say that social media has eliminated of gates” that exist with the creation of
gatekeeping in online spaces, but that is not true evermore platforms that promote higher
either. The algorithms and software that govern audience engagement, scarcity of credible
social media are created and monitored by sources remains high as well. Thus news
organizations that are gatekeepers in their own organizations maintain their status as
right (Wallace, 2018). Online influencers and gatekeepers even on newer online platforms,
the network of followers and connections that even if it is a role that is shifting (Vos &
social media users immerse themselves in have Heinderyckx, 2015). News consumers, in many
become gatekeepers as well, heavily impacting ways, welcome this gatekeeping from media
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 even seeing it as a public and moral rarely used for young white men, like Dylann
responsibility to let Americans know which Roof and James Holmes, who have committed
news is relevant, timely and important (Vos & devastating massacres. It is not only tone and
Heinderyckx, 2015). This online space is framing. The frequency of coverage of an event
constantly evolving, with each news or community can speak volumes about a
organization approaching its gatekeeping in newsroom's implicit biases. This unfortunately
different ways. extends to the hiring practices of these same
newsrooms. Disparate treatment within job
Gatekeeping and implicit biases in media applications occurs between applicants with
Gatekeeping can manifest in a myriad of “white-sounding” and “Black-sounding” names,
manners, such as which stories are covered, and reporting assignments that are connected to
what language and framing is used to cover race in any way are often passed on to white
them, which communities regularly receive reporters to retain “objectivity” on assignment
coverage, and even what the staff looks like (Bailey, 2019). These are manifestations of
within a news organization (Vos & implicit bias within journalism, or attitudes and
Heinderyckx, 2015). Perhaps the biggest stereotypes that affect our actions and decisions
gatekeepers of all within the journalism industry in an unconscious manner (Kirwan Institute for
are legacy newsrooms, or old media (Bailey, the Study of Race and Ethnicity, 2015). Implicit
2019). These are newsrooms that for decades bias is insidious, because it usually does not
have seen the identity of reporters, and even align with our declared beliefs, but our biases do
sources, as a potential threat to the “objectivity” tend to favor one’s “in-group,” or people who
of an organization’s coverage. Newsrooms have hold the same identity markers (Kirwan
struggled with providing the fair and equitable Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity,
coverage they claim to have always strived, as 2015). With a historically white industry such as
evidenced by extensive research (Bailey, 2019; journalism, these biases run deep.
Eligon, 2014). For example, journalism writ The United States is a country that is
large has treated female politicians more constantly reiterating centuries-old stereotypes
critically than male politicians, and has overly and negative associations with people with
associated Black families with crime and Muslim marginalized identities, and journalism plays a
families with terrorism. According to one study, heavy hand in perpetuating those messages
terrorist attacks committed by Muslims receive through its coverage. Not surprisingly, almost
357 percent more coverage than attacks no one is happy with the current state of news
committed by terrorists of any other identity coverage. Indigenous and Black Americans
group (Bailey, 2019). When Michael Brown was suffer from a laundry list of disparities, but can
killed in 2014, The New York Times published an feel left out or tokenized in their coverage
ill-conceived article that called Brown “no (Bailey, 2019). Latinos and Asian-Americans
angel,” suggesting a sinister nature for someone feel the same way, while disabled people and
who was killed at the hands of law enforcement mentally ill people feel almost completely
(Eligon, 2014). Descriptors such as this are excluded from news coverage (Bailey, 2019).
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 Even the historically and contemporarily It is imperative to recognize that this universally
privileged, such as white men, police officers and accepted standard of objectivity was never so
evangelical Christians, see implicit bias at best objective to begin with. For nearly all of
and intentional animus at worst in the state of journalism’s history, the notion of objectivity
news coverage concerning their respective has been upheld by white male journalists,
identities. Correcting implicit bias is essential because their identity is seen as the default,
work for mass media, because it can help despite the fact that this practice has led to
account for gaps in public knowledge and implicit biases (Bailey, 2019). It is imperative
perspective. Without this recalibration of that newsrooms examine their biases. Huge
understanding, news consumers may answer barriers to access, inclusion and retention have
unaddressed questions based on their own been enacted because of structural racism
experiences, which only continues the cycle of (Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and
misguided narratives. Ethnicity, 2015). In a 21st century newsroom, it
With George Floyd’s killing on May 25, is a choice to tackle blind spots, whether implicit
2020 and the subsequent ripples and reckonings or explicit, in their coverage. No one can claim
that have cropped up in seemingly every ignorance. This reckoning of institutional harm
professional sector, reparative diversity and comes on top of an industry that has already
equity is suddenly en vogue. This means that the experienced massive cultural and
media are suddenly now looking to trainings, implementational shifts in the 21st century.
policies and practices that can undo the Industry standards
systematic errors of their profession. These are In an ever-changing world—where the
easy fixes, but the most important work is done internet is king and every person has a platform
on the individual level, by every single reporter. —the journalism industry is constantly shifting
Critical self-examination of story sourcing, in order to meet reader demands, mitigate harm,
content and delivery can cause ripple effects and above all, survive. This sense of industry
throughout news organizations (Bailey, 2019). uneasiness is new to the internet era, but as
Even with all these efforts, stories at the most gatekeeping theory suggests, news organizations
well-intentioned news outlets who institute have traditionally held positions of power in the
implicit bias training will inevitably fall through communities they cover. The importance of the
the cracks. The New York Times has published audience is often stressed in measuring the
pieces that appear to feature Nazi sympathizing scope and impact of newsroom coverage, but
and unequal coverage of Donald Trump and these audiences are commonly thought of in the
Hillary Clinton in the lead up to the 2016 abstract. Community members are not in the
election (Fauset, 2017; Lichtblau & Myers, 2016). morning news huddle as stories are being
On the whole, the media over-samples crime discussed amongst reporters (Loosen &
committed by people of color and over-samples Schmidt, 2012). Journalists are criticized for
how often white people are the victims of crime frequently catering to fellow media professionals
at the hands of people of color in their coverage, treating them as their in-group
(Gladstone, 2015). and referring to peer judgement as to what is
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 newsworthy (Loosen & Schmidt, 2012). This can struggled and continues to struggle with finding
create a self-perpetuating cycle, leaving new streams of revenue as print subscriptions
newsrooms in a feedback loop that excludes their dry up, readers hunger for free access online, and
true audience and keeping them from taking online advertising pays a fraction of what print
chances in reporting and coverage (Loosen & advertising does (Pew Research Center, 2016).
Schmidt, 2012). Audience is typically thought of The media is still experimenting with how to best
as recipients, receivers of the content that retain and grow their audiences. In fact, it is a
newsrooms are producing, or as product, a result top priority for 9 out of 10 newspaper editors in
of the presence of the media industry (Loosen & the United States (Lewis et al, 2014). Of course,
Schmidt, 2012). Now, thanks to the internet and the biggest newsrooms have successfully pivoted
all of its creations, the concept of the audience as to investing in audio journalism and podcasting,
an empowered network is emerging, signaling a holding events, writing special issues and more, à
point of no turn for direct, sometimes la The New York Times. Yet overall, elite national
unmitigated contact with news organizations news organizations have resisted heavily
(Loosen & Schmidt, 2012). increasing user participation, often because it can
As audiences have gained increased threaten their perception of traditional media
agency and access to journalistic organizations in gatekeeping and therefore lead to loss of
the online realm, their power has grown too. reputational prestige (Lewis et al, 2014).
They exercise their power through means such as Meanwhile, smaller media outlets, who are
online commenting and interacting with usually behind in terms of technology adoption,
newsrooms and their reporters on social media. are more likely to engage audiences online and
Audiences see this power as a way to leverage the participate in this “reciprocal journalism” (Lewis
playing field with these sometimes behemoth et al, 2014). This helps to foster a sense of
institutions. This reciprocity, the ability to create community in shared forums and social media
a two-way conversation like never before, is pages, which is key for audience engagement. It
developing connectedness and social capital helps citizens feel like they have a stake in the
among communities that are both geographically coverage of their city or region. This reciprocity
bounded and virtual in nature (Lewis, Holton & of directly interacting with community members
Coddington, 2014). Thus, “reciprocal online is widely seen as necessary in building
journalism” is increasingly important and both trust and growing your following as a
builds upon and departs from the typical concept contemporary journalist.
of audience engagement, because there are a Not only does this reciprocity exist
multitude of ways that both audiences and directly between news organizations and their
reporters benefit from these online interactions followers, it also occurs indirectly through a
(Lewis et al, 2014). follower’s own passing along of journalistic
Of course, some reporters and information, by sharing a story on Reddit
newsrooms have been better at adopting new threads, through using hashtags on Twitter, and
technologies and digital strategies than others. It more (Lewis et al, 2014). This allows for a story
is generally accepted that journalism has to reach even more people than it originally
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 would, and the more indirect reciprocity a story impartiality and diligent fact-checking to be a
receives, the better. Ideally, journalists will utilize professional standard amongst themselves and
their social followings in a way that allows for their peers (Van Der Wurff & Schoenbach, 2014).
sustained engagement and reciprocity, both There are many overlaps between what reporters
directly and indirectly. As a framework, and consumers expect from journalism—some
reciprocal journalism is a way to best use many more explicit than others.
existing forms of participatory journalism to The function of journalism has changed
build and maintain an active audience, over the years in the eyes of the consumer. The
questioning the role of gatekeeping in this 1980s saw a rise in the demand for national and
evolving industry. Without this reciprocity, global news, the 1990s saw audiences craving a
media outlets may risk not just losing audience, more interpretive role from their chosen media
but eroding their trust in the organization along outlets, and the 2000s saw strong support for
the way. The competition online for users’ journalism as a community forum (Van Der
attention is infinite, whereas when print was Wurff & Schoenbach, 2014). Because of the
king, newspapers only had to compete with seemingly constant shifting in media needs from
fellow papers in their given market. But just audiences, there is almost always a disconnect
because the challenge is daunting does not mean between journalists and consumers. A survey
that newsrooms should throw in the towel before conducted in Germany in 2007 found that
they begin (Stassen, 2010). Without the audience, respondents thought of news as “manipulated,
newsrooms may not offer as comprehensive of too prosaic, too sensational and frivolous” (Van
coverage as they should, and lost audience Der Wurff & Schoenbach, 2014). This is
members will turn to different sources of emblematic of many changes that the industry
information to feel served in their news coverage. has undergone over the years—the rise of late
Reconnecting with audiences and meeting them night infotainment programs, 24-hour news
where they are is a chance to advance democracy coverage from networks like CNN, and most
and reclaim a sorely needed interest base. recently, the spread of misinformation through
social media from a sitting American president
Industry standards and trust in media who decries and undermines the value and
It has been proven that audiences have a function of journalism. The heightened sense of
wide variety of needs and asks from the competition amongst news outlets has led to
journalism industry. Through a large scale study more negative news coverage and interpretive
in the Netherlands, researchers discovered that reporting from the media (Turcotte, York, Irving,
individuals want news that at least slightly skews Scholl & Pingree, 2015). The public is paying less
according to their political leanings, offers a high and less attention to mainstream media and
level of coverage for public affairs, and not giving more time to partisan news outlets such as
surprisingly, they need a high level of trust, an Fox News, with demographics and political
aspect currently lacking for audiences globally knowledge also playing a hand in audience
(Van Der Wurff & Schoenbach, 2014). preferences (Turcotte et al, 2015). This is despite
Journalists, on the other hand, expect autonomy, the fact that systematic content analyses have
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 shown that the nonpartisan, mainstream media move the industry forward and grow their
does not outwardly feed into any one political audience, the media must first build trust and
party or affiliation (Lee, 2010). Even a general relinquish their notions of traditional
lack of transparency about the function and gatekeeping.
execution of contemporary journalism has caused
lack of audience trust (Lee, 2010). There is a big Legacy newsrooms and digital newsrooms
disconnect between what consumers want and As shown, the modern news media
what the media is presenting them with, and industry is increasingly complex and comprises
modern solutions will need to be implemented to many different actors and audiences, each pulling
address these issues. upon each other through the means of
Because Americans do not trust their gatekeeping, trust and the growth of the internet.
media professionals, they are turning to the News is still being consumed in a multitude of
people who they reliably trust the most: their ways: through print, television, online, radio, and
family, friends and peers. News sharing through more. Digital and online media is the quickest
social media, and specifically through the growing sector of news consumption. With 37
juggernaut Facebook, is reaching a critical mass. percent of Americans preferring to consume their
At least 30 percent of U.S. adults are consuming online, only television at 44 percent remains a
news on Facebook (Turcotte et al, 2015). The higher preference than digital news (Pew
people who you follow online are sharing Research Center, 2016). This figure points to the
information that aligns with their personal importance of all newsrooms that are online,
beliefs, therefore exposing you to a certain array specifically digital native newsrooms and legacy
of ideas and sources. The trust you place in the newsrooms with a digital presence.
people you follow affords them a level of Legacy newsrooms are what some would
influence and credibility, which in turn affects consider to be old media or media institutions
which news outlets you are attuned to and how that were dominant prior to the rise of the
closely you follow them (Turcotte et al, 2015). Information Age (Peterson, 2003). These are
The peer-to-peer process of digital news exposure newsrooms that have been around for decades,
has wide reaching implications for what media with some boasting more than a hundred years of
trust must look like going forward. continuous operations. While old media can
Misinformation is more likely to be shared encompass many different distribution methods
amongst peers as it validates and perpetuates —radio, television, film and more—here, the
their personal beliefs. Misinformation operates focus will be on print, and specifically
cyclically—a decline in media trust fosters a newspapers, the quintessential news medium.
heightened sense of political polarization, which Legacy media is traditionally characterized by its
further encourages consumers to ingest news that one-way communication style with its audience,
does not challenge their beliefs (Turcotte et al, while new media is characterized by a
2015). In these ways, newsrooms across the decentralized model of operations and interactive
United States are finding that gatekeeping, features that allow two-way communication
audience and trust are linked, and that in order to between the newsroom and audience (Peterson,
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 2003). Only since the emergence and rapid their jobs (Pew Research Center, 2020). Legacy
growth of the internet has legacy media pivoted to newsrooms have made and continue to make
change their modes of communication because of many changes to better adapt to this reality, such
the threat they saw from this new distribution as turning to niche areas of coverage rather than
model (Peterson, 2003). Legacy media is the late doing some of everything and centering beats
bloomer in this situation. Audiences went online around relevant topics instead of standard
before legacy newsrooms really got around to it, newspaper sections (Jones & Tompkins, 2017).
and in that time, audiences became accustomed to The growth of digital media and the decline of
procuring information for free. As a result, most legacy print newsrooms continues to have a
newsrooms are still trying to get audiences to significant impact on the audiences who rely on
purchase digital subscriptions, putting up article them for their news.
limits and paywalls to encourage readers to pay if Websites are an important aspect of how
they want full access. Newspapers were slow to newsrooms acquire online traffic, but even more
adopt new media because their biggest revenue important than having a high quality, functional
sources were slow to utilize the internet as well. web platform is having a means to drive new
The biggest, wealthiest advertisers were still audience members to that platform. In other
primarily focusing on print until only a few years words, social media. Social media, just as much as
ago, and the oldest age groups in the United States the internet itself, has profoundly shaped the
are still overwhelmingly loyal to newspapers for media landscape. As of 2018, more adults get their
their news consumption (Desjardins, 2016). news from social media than from print
Legacy media is now strapped with the newspapers, with Facebook dominating the field
double burden of needing to maintain old for news consumption—43 percent of Americans
business models based on physical newspaper get news from the social platform (Pew Research
subscriptions and dwindling print advertising Center). In fact, the most common ways that
revenue while successfully navigating digital adults in the United States access online news is
subscriptions and digital advertising, both of either through social media or direct visits to
which typically sell for cheaper than their print news organizations’ websites (Pew Research
counterparts (Desjardins, 2016). As of 2018, Center, 2020).
digital advertising accounted for 35 percent of This dependence on social media is aided
newspaper advertising revenue (Pew Research by the developments in technology that ran
Center, 2020). Digital native media, the new parallel to the growth of the internet.
media companies that have sprung up since the Smartphones and the applications you can install
beginning of the Information Age and have only right on the homescreen make it so accessing
ever had a digital presence, have seen tremendous social media is as easy as tapping an icon. As of
growth and success. Vice, BuzzFeed and Vox are 2017, 45 percent of American adults often get
each valued at over $1 billion (Desjardins, 2016). news from their mobile phones, a means of news
Employment in digital newsrooms increased 82 consumption that is increasingly preferred (Pew
percent from 2008 to 2018, while in this same Research Center, 2020). Despite being the most
time frame, 33,000 newspaper employees lost loyal consumers of print newspapers, adults 50
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 years and older are also driving news consumption On average, visitors spent 2 ⅓ minutes per visit to
through mobile devices, helping increase the these newspapers’ websites (Pew Research Center,
number of total adults consuming news in this 2018). As a comparison, digital native newsrooms
manner to 85 percent (Pew Research Center, experience much higher engagement numbers
2016). Americans are overwhelmingly on board than newspapers’ digital websites. Out of the 37
with getting their news online and through social largest digital native news sites, the average
media, further proving that the future of modern number of unique monthly visitors totaled more
newsrooms most certainly includes the savvy use than 22 million in 2018 (Pew Research Center,
of digital media as a means of reaching audiences. 2018). On the flip side, the average number of
Despite these trends, Americans are minutes spent per visitor on these same digital
skeptical of what they see on social media. The news sites is two minutes (Pew Research Center,
ease with which anyone can create polished but 2018). Digital native newsrooms are also typically
fraudulent news products has grown ahead of the curve in adopting audience outreach
exponentially, which makes this a valid concern and engagement strategies. The vast majority of
for modern news consumers to hold. Even as they this sample of digital native newsrooms offer
regularly turn to social media for their newsletters, have an official presence on Apple
newsgathering, 57 percent of consumers say they News or Flipboard, and release podcasts as of 2019
expect the news that they see on these platforms to (Pew Research Center). Similarly, almost all of
be largely inaccurate (Pew Research Center, 2018). these newsrooms have a very robust social media
Americans are already skeptical of the media as a presence, maintaining accounts on Twitter,
whole, with 72 percent of adults expressing at least Instagram, YouTube and Facebook (Pew Research
some trust in national news organizations and 85 Center, 2019). Despite these differences in online
percent of adults expressing at least some trust in traffic, digital native and legacy newsrooms share
local news organizations (Pew Research Center, many similarities, including their coverage and
2016). When it comes to news from social media, journalistic practices.
only 37 percent of American adults have at least
moderate trust in the information they gather Framing Theory
there (Pew Research Center, 2018). Despite these A key characteristic of news reporting
attitudes, a significant portion of adults in the across any medium is how the news is framed. A
United States still choose to get their news through frame in the context of the journalism industry is a
social media. way that the media presents a story to their
Since all of these media channels have audience, the impact on perception of events
become so layered and entwined, gauging the size ranging from subtle to obvious (Chong &
of digital audiences for legacy newspapers is Druckman, 2007; Goffman, 1974). Thus, framing
difficult. As of 2018, across the 50 biggest daily is the process in which people develop a particular
newspapers in the United States, there was an conceptualization of an issue or reorient their
average of 11.6 million unique monthly visitors to thinking about an issue (Chong & Druckman,
their websites, almost mirroring the same 2007; Goffman, 1974). The frame acts as a lens
numbers as 2016 and 2017 (Pew Research Center). that affects how people intake and interpret
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 information. In the context of the news industry, individual reporters, or the media as a whole, to
the act of framing can fall on many different actors eliminate framing from their coverage. Even the
—the news organization, a certain department, a standard use of a sterile inverted pyramid to write
specific editor. In this case, I am examining the act a journalistic article is a type of frame (Project for
of framing as it falls on the shoulders of the Excellence in Journalism, 2009). The narrative
reporter, whose writing dictates how the frames that the media use can be split into several
information they want to convey is ultimately categories: the straight news account, the conflict
portrayed to the reader. Identifying frames in the story, the consensus story, the conjecture story, the
media helps to understand what key considerations historical outlook and the reaction story (Project
are emphasized in a media product (Chong & for Excellence in Journalism, 2009). This is not an
Druckman, 2007). exhaustive list, but it does include some of the
To identify a frame within the media, there most common narrative framings employed by the
must first be an issue, event or actor that is being media.
framed (Chong & Druckman. 2007). Frames also Each of these frames plays a subtle yet
take attitudes, or attributions of reasoning, both important role in the dissemination of news. A
positive and negative into account. This means straight news account is when there is no
highlighting any number of considerations in a dominant narrative frame, but rather a basic
news product: economic costs, humanitarianism, outline that covers the who, what, when, why and
individualism, social justice, environmental, etc. how bases (Project for Excellence in Journalism,
These frames are important to note because they 2009). A conflict story focuses on the conflict
ultimately affect the attitudes, and therefore the inherent to the situation or brewing between the
behaviors, of their audiences. This is called a actors (Project for Excellence in Journalism, 2009).
framing effect (Chong & Druckman, 2007). A consensus story emphasizes the points of
Framing itself is unavoidable—every human being agreement around an issue or event (Project for
brings their own frames to their communication, Excellence in Journalism, 2009). A conjecture story
whether that be in everyday conversation or their focuses on a story’s conjecture or speculation of
professional life. The strongest frames emerge what is to come (Project for Excellence in
from public discussion as “the best rationales for Journalism, 2009). A historical outlook details how
contending positions on [an] issue” (Chong & the current news fits into history (Project for
Druckman, 2007). Excellence in Journalism, 2009). The reaction story
The use of frames within the media is a showcases a response from a major actor
hotly contested issue, as political conservatives (Project for Excellence in Journalism, 2009).
continue to rail against the journalism industry Just as there are narrative frames that
and its loss of objectivity. This debate is only determine the structure of a story, there are also
continuing to intensify as some outlets lean into content frames that inform the writing within a
more alternative types of reporting that allow for story. The attribution of responsibility frame
more style and analysis, whether that be new media examines whether and how the government and
explanatory reporting or hyper-partisan political related agencies are responsible for events
reporting. Despite the outcry, there is no way for portrayed (Beaudoin, 2007). The human interest
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frame emphasizes the emotional angle of a story, counter-frames have been created—ones that
humanizing and dramatizing the issue and its defend and uphold conservative ideologies. These
effects on everyday life (Bennet, 1995). The severity frames, namely the blue lives matter and all lives
frame emphasizes uncertainty, seriousness and matter framings, serve to make Black Lives Matter
potential harm to the public caused by the event seem exclusive, divisive or threatening (Arora et al,
portrayed. The economic consequences frame looks 2019). These community-created frames almost
at the financial and economic impact of events. The always make their way into the media, as evidenced
action frame focuses on prevention and education by the wide understanding of blue lives matter and
(Bardhan, 2001). Lastly, the new evidence frame all lives matter, but news organizations also play
looks at the impact of new findings in relation to into anti-Black Lives Matter framing. Mainstream
the reported topic or event. All of these frames, media frames that portray Black Lives Matter
both narrative and content, will be used in the protesters as social deviants through sensationalist
methodology to examine how news organizations and individualistic lenses decreases audience
in the United States are using narrative framing in empathy with the movement, as well as reinforcing
their coverage of Black Lives Matter. support for maintaining the status quo (Arora et al,
2019). The mere presence of all lives matter and
Media coverage of Black Lives Matter blue lives matter in the media is evidence of the
In order to understand how contemporary advancement of blatant whiteness within news
newsrooms have framed and continue to frame the coverage. Through the lens of critical race theory,
evolution of Black Lives Matter, a comprehensive another study posits that the whiteness within the
look at their coverage of the movement is news industry has created white fear when covering
necessary. The way Black Lives Matter is covered is “minority issues” (Kil, 2019). Even when
important, because it influences the way the public attempting to be “race neutral” in the media’s
perceives the movement. News coverage of the reporting has backfired, upholding the standard of
movement has resulted in several tangible impacts. objectivity has ignored the needs of marginalized
One of the biggest takeaways from the analysis of communities and instead advanced whiteness (Kil,
Black Lives Matter coverage is that its frequency is 2019). Through this framework, the spread of all
tied to the direct political action that has resulted lives matter has allowed for the co-optation of
from its activism. According to one study, an initial Black social justice work, fear of Black power and
increase and subsequent decline in media attention the equating of all lives matter with white power
to policing was linked to when policing legislation (Kil, 2019). In these ways, the content and framing
was proposed and passed within their of Black Lives Matter coverage has resulted in the
corresponding state legislatures (Arora, Phoenix & continued iteration of institutionalized oppression,
Delshad, 2019). This indicates that even as protests without the knowledge or intention of the reporter.
and the movement as a whole continue to make Though this framing may seem extreme,
progress every day, the media typically follows what other framings that have been used by the media
changes are happening in government and politics, when reporting on Black Lives Matter are less so.
not necessarily through the work of local activists. The framing and rhetoric used by a given news
Within the online community, a plethora of outlet depends on the size and stature of the
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organization. Some news outlets have framed press to protesters.
advocacy and non-violent protests organized by the On the other hand, some academic studies
movement as riots, while the organization as a have shown that coverage and framing of Black
whole has been characterized as racist and anti-law Lives Matter has been anything but negative—it has
enforcement (Banks, 2018). A binary is drawn by been neutral to positive. One study compared post-
news organizations between “good Black people,” Michael Brown coverage from The New York
who adhere to neoliberal values such as Times, the leading national news outlet, and the St.
individualism and personal responsibility, and “bad Louis Post-Dispatch, the local regional newspaper,
Black people,” who identify and admonish systemic and found that both outlets were more likely to
racism (Banks, 2018). Tools such as public memory, employ a positive frame associated with
rules of decorum and post-racial discourse are often peacefulness, than a lawless frame associated with
employed in United States media when discussing lawlessness and deviance (Elmasry & el-Nawawy,
the movement. According to one study, newsrooms 2017). The coverage from both newsrooms directly
as disparate as The New York Times, CNN and Fox quoted protesters more often than law enforcement
News all used these tactics in some capacity to or government officials, while not fixating on
ignore and delegitimize the movement’s goals protester-committed crimes and making scant
(Banks, 2018). mention of any looting, arson, assault or gunfire
One reason that newsrooms cover social (Elmasry & el-Nawawy, 2017). All types of media
movements, namely Black Lives Matter, so critically play a role in the perpetuation of negative
is because of the protest paradigm. The protest stereotypes and frames.
paradigm states that the media tends to emphasize
the drama, inconvenience and disruption that Research questions
protests create, rather than highlighting the In sum, the relationship between
demands and grievances of the protestors newsrooms, their reporting, and the people they are
themselves (Kilgo, 2020). In this way, news trying to share their coverage with is more complex
organizations contribute to the maintenance of the than it has ever been before. The Black Lives Matter
status quo, making it more difficult for social movement is a modern call for civil rights that
movements to appeal to a broader audience. On the requires the best, most thoughtful journalistic
other side of this coin is the knowledge that in order coverage possible. Due to how rapidly the industry
to get the attention of the press, protests must be and the media tastes of the general public are
loud and attention-grabbing. In order to get the changing, both frequency, framing and tone of
words out about their movement, protesters must coverage of Black Lives Matter is expected to be
be brash and outlandish, because they need the variable. These factors are important, because they
media to help get the word out about their demands determine the quality of coverage available to media
(Boyle, McLeod & Armstrong, 2012). Though this audiences, as well as affecting their perceptions of
is growing less and less true because of social media, the movement as well. As changes within the
the press is still a key actor in the dissemination of journalism industry and the demands of audiences
knowledge and information about social issues, with mount around the topic of Black Lives Matter,
the cycle continuing on from protesters to press, consensus must be reached amongst the largest
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players in the media as to how to best address the This study examined 10 articles for every year since
social justice movement while reckoning with its 2013 for each of the six selected news organizations,
own history. At this moment, the largest players— three legacy and three digital native. This timeframe
legacy newsrooms and digital-first newsrooms— encompasses every year from the start of the
have notably different approaches to their coverage. movement, 2013, to the present, 2020. Black Lives
To properly analyze these approaches, proper Matter has undergone many changes in public
research on their coverage of the movement must be perception and acceptance over the years, and it is
conducted. Therefore, the study proposes the important to note all of those changes so that a
following research questions: complete picture can be captured. To collect data
RQ 1: How has media coverage of Black for this study, a content analysis was conducted,
Lives Matter between legacy newsrooms and which is a way to determine patterns in
digital newsrooms changed since the start of communications in an objective and quantifiable
the movement? manner. This research method is perfect for this
study, especially in identifying trends and changes
RQ 2: How has the frequency of coverage in coverage.
changed over time, for each newsroom and Procedure
overall? This study analyzed articles from six
different news organizations: The New York Times,
RQ 3: How has the framing of coverage The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal,
changed over time, for each newsroom and BuzzFeed, Vox and VICE. These publications were
overall? chosen because they are national outlets and thus
cover the movement more frequently than local
RQ 4: How has the tone of coverage changed publications that only mention the movement when
over time, for each newsroom and overall? it is relevant to their geographic region. The
number of articles examined per year from each
RQ5: How has the language of coverage organization was set at 10 to allow for a breadth of
changed over time, for each newsroom and articles to be analyzed. Once all possible data was
overall? collected, a total of 412 articles were sampled and
analyzed. To determine which articles to analyze, a
RQ6: Does any outlet support or blame any total inventory of the number of articles for each
relevant actors in their coverage? year that appear when “Black Lives Matter” is
searched using each newsroom’s appropriate in-
Methodology house search engine is conducted. Once the total
The goal of this study was to investigate how number of articles, or population, for a year is
the media has covered the Black Lives Matter recorded, that number is divided by 10, the desired
movement since its inception, including changes in sample size, to establish a systematic method of
frequency of coverage, tone of coverage, framing of sampling. Article types that do not suit the study,
coverage, and the differences in coverage between such as opinion pieces, are omitted to ensure that
legacy newsrooms and digital native newsrooms. only journalistic coverage that is historically
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supposed to be objective is analyzed. story, (5) historical outlook, and (6) reaction story.
A straight news account is when there is no
Measurement dominant narrative frame, but rather a basic outline
In accordance with content analysis that covers the who, what, when, why and how
methodology, I used a coding book to organize bases, and a conflict story focuses on the conflict
which variables I would investigate. First, language is inherent to the situation or brewing between the
assessed, both as its own variable and to help actors. A consensus story emphasizes the points of
determine tone for the articles. Each article was agreement around an issue or event, while a
coded for frequency language of specific words. The conjecture story focuses on a story’s conjecture or
words justice, peace and reparations were coded as speculation of what is to come. A historical outlook
positive; the words rally, march, protest and details how the current news fits into history. The
demonstration were coded as neutral; and the words reaction story showcases a response from a major
violence, danger, riot and loot were coded as actor.
negative. After words in each category were The selected content frames for this study
recorded, the category with the greatest frequency are (1) attribution of responsibility, (2) human
was recorded as the overall language. Then, absence interest, (3) severity, (4) economic consequences, (5)
or presence of blame or support for a variety of action, and (6) new evidence. The attribution of
actors—Black Lives Matter, law enforcement, responsibility frame examines whether and how the
government, the media, or other—to help guide the government and related organizations are
determination of article tone. Tone is then defined responsible for the events described in a news
as positive, neutral or negative in reference to Black article. Stories with a human interest frame
Lives Matter, aided by what was recorded under emphasize the emotional angle of a story, often
language, blame and support variables. The last dramatizing the issue and its effects on everyday life.
variables that were studied were the narrative frames News articles with a severity frame emphasize the
and the content frames. The coding book used for uncertainty, seriousness and potential harm that the
this study can be found in the appendix. issue at hand poses to the public. The economic
consequences frame deals with the financial and
Narrative and content frames economic impact of events, while the action frame
I coded for the presence of six narrative focuses on prevention and education about the
frames and six content frames (see Appendix for issue. Finally, stories with the new evidence frame
codebook). The narrative frames pertain to how a deal with the impact of new findings.
story is structured in its writing, while the content
frames deal with the messaging in the writing. The Results
chosen narrative frames drew from the Project for The overarching research question asked how media
Excellence in Journalism at the Pew Research coverage of Black Lives Matter between legacy
Center, while the chosen content frames are from a newsrooms and digital newsrooms has changed
variety of previous framing studies. The narrative since the start of the movement. In order to better
frames included are (1) straight news account, (2) understand and address this question, the other five
conflict story, (3) consensus story, (4) conjecture research questions must be answered. The first
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research question looked to determine how the The New York Times leads overall in 2020 news
frequency of coverage of Black Lives Matter has coverage of the movement, followed by The
changed over time between legacy and digital Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal
newsrooms. When combing through the six chosen respectively.
news websites, only the legacy newsrooms had The second research question studied how
internal engines that allowed for clear and easy the framing of Black Lives Matter coverage has
sorting of articles by year, while also displaying the changed over time in legacy newsrooms and digital
total number of articles per year. The websites for the newsrooms. The most frequently used narrative and
digital newsrooms did not have an easy way to sort content frames for each news organization between
through their articles, therefore those websites had to 2014, 2017 and 2020 were assessed and compiled.
be manually sorted through for data collection and Most news organizations used the reaction narrative
could not have the total number of relevant articles frame in 2014, and diversified across each outlet as
per year determined. time went on. The Washington Post used the
The results that were able to be collected reaction frame most frequently throughout the
show that coverage of Black Lives Matter across whole scope of their coverage, while BuzzFeed used
legacy newsrooms has fluctuated over the years. The the conflict frame most frequently, as seen in Table
New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall 1. Other narrative frames that were used include
Street Journal did not reference Black Lives Matter at straight news account, conjecture and historical
all in the movement’s first year, 2013. Coverage outlook. Meanwhile, the analyzed articles show in
picked up in 2014 through 2016, then went quiet Table 2 that there was generally a variety of content
until 2020. Evidently, Black Lives Matter is currently frames used across the selected newsrooms. Despite
seeing an all-time high in national press coverage, as this variety, some key takeaways show that The New
evidenced by the lines in Graph 1. The York Times most commonly used the human

Graph 1

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 Table 1

Table 2

interest frame in its coverage, as well as The negative connotations has changed over time
Washington Post. Other favored frames were for each news organization. The findings for this
the attribution of responsibility, new evidence question were unanimous, showing that overall,
and severity frames. mostly neutral language is used in the majority
The third research question looked at of the analyzed articles across each news
how the tone of coverage, in reference to Black organization. The final research question
Lives Matter, had changed over time for each investigated whether any of the surveyed news
news organization. Tone of coverage across the outlets broadly supported or blamed any
board is almost completely neutral, except for relevant actors in their coverage of Black Lives
VICE in 2014 and Vox in 2020, as seen in Table Matter. Across all eight years of collected data,
3. VICE saw an equal number of positive and all newsrooms but The Wall Street Journal most
neutral tone articles in 2014, indicated in that frequently used supportive language and
entry in the table. framing towards Black Lives Matter in their
The fourth question asked how the use coverage. The most frequently blamed actor
of language and words with positive, neutral or overall depends on which newsroom is

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 Table 3

Table 4

is examined, as shown in Table 5. The purpose of this study was to examine

Overall, media coverage of Black Lives the differences between coverage of the Black
Matter in the six examined newsrooms has Lives Matter movement between legacy
remained more stable than expected since the newsrooms and digital-first newsrooms through
start of the movement. Examining each of the a content analysis model. Different elements
five research questions helps to show how each within the examined articles, such as frequency
organization’s coverage has changed on a of coverage, language use, support and blame of
macro level. Language use and tone has key actors, tone, and narrative and content
remained fairly consistent across the board, framing, were used to investigate six different
while framing and frequency of coverage has national news organizations.
changed dramatically over the years. In order
to fully understand these observations, we must Major Findings
delve further into the reasoning behind the From the numbers that could be
research. compiled from the traditional legacy newsrooms,
Discussion coverage of Black Lives Matter spiked during key

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 Table 5

times of social and political unrest in relation to the newsrooms can be linked to the visibility of the
movement. As seen in Graph 1, coverage first movement. Journalists are likely to cover the most
picked up in 2014 when the movement first gained attention-grabbing news because they know it is
traction during the protests surrounding Michael what the public finds interesting and is what will
Brown’s killing. A significant bump in coverage get the most online traffic in a competitive digital
then occurred in 2016, when the high-profile media landscape.
killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile took Due to the nature of this digital landscape
place. Coverage across The New York Times, The and the competition between media outlets,
Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal then framing is another tool that newsrooms use to
begins to dip, reaching a low point before leverage their position as a news leader. This study
skyrocketing in 2020, which can be attributed to looked at narrative frames, or how the story is
George Floyd’s killing and the international written, and content frames, or what aspects the
protests it spurred. While Dhrumil Mehta from story focuses on. Across all years and newsrooms,
FiveThirtyEight attributes these patterns in the reaction frame was the most common narrative
coverage in part to Donald Trump’s presidency, I frame. The reaction frame focuses on a response
argue that we would still see these patterns if any from a major actor. In the case of Black Lives
other president were in office. Trump has made Matter, that could be the organization itself,
plenty of disparaging comments about Black Lives individual activists, police involved in high profile
Matter, but journalists will still cover news that shootings, police brutality victim’s families,
they believe is critical to public knowledge and government officials, etc. Considering how quickly
wellbeing. Though the national Black Lives Matter Black Lives Matter became a politically polarizing
organization and its subsequent city chapters have topic, it is not surprising that the media would try
been active since the movement’s start, journalists to follow every development in relation to the
have given most attention to the movement during movement, so that readers could stay in step with
its times of highest visibility, when people are out the latest information.
in the streets protesting and there are violent The second most common narrative frame
clashes between groups. Thus, the frequency of was the conflict frame, which focuses on the
Black Lives Matter coverage from these three conflict inherent to the story or that is brewing
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amongst the relevant actors. With a movement that responsible for the issue being discussed. The Wall
is socially and politically controversial in the United Street Journal is the only conservative-leaning
States like Black Lives Matter, actor reactions and outlet out of the six selected for analysis, therefore
actor conflict can go hand-in-hand. Table 1 shows it makes sense that the framing of their coverage
that the three legacy newsrooms analyzed almost differed from that of The New York Times and The
exclusively used the reaction and conflict frames Washington Post. This points to each newsroom’s
when examined over time. Past research on the hand, the new evidence frame emphasizes the
protest paradigm supports this—movements have a impact of new findings, and the attribution of
hard time grabbing the attention of the media responsibility frame looks at how the government
unless there are large, physical demonstrations and related organizations are responsible for the
(Boyle et al., 2012). The three digital-first issue being discussed. The Wall Street Journal is the
newsrooms had a slightly more diverse use of only conservative-leaning outlet out of the six
narrative frames over time, which included the use selected for analysis, therefore it makes sense that
of the conjecture frame, which speculates about the framing of their coverage differed from that of
future events, and the historical outlook frame, The New York Times and The Washington Post.
which considers related events from the past. This This points to each newsroom’s respective
can be attributed to the fact that the bread and audiences and what they may be looking for in
butter of traditional newsrooms is still breaking their preferred newsroom’s coverage. While readers
news and straight-forward accounts, while digital- of The New York Times and The Washington Post
native newsrooms like BuzzFeed and Vox try to may want a more dramatized framing, readers of
explore different angles or offer explanatory The Wall Street Journal may feel more
journalism. apprehensive about Black Lives Matter and want to
In terms of content frames, there was a be affirmed in their trepidations and the newness of
greater variety in frame usage over time, and a the movement.
much starker difference between the frames chosen Similarly, the content frames most
by traditional newsrooms and those chosen by frequently used over time by the digital-first
digital-first newsrooms. The traditional newsrooms newsrooms were also severity, new evidence and
tended towards using the human interest frame, attribution of responsibility, though certainly for
which emphasizes the emotional angle of the different reasons. Over the years studied, the new
subject to help humanize it and make it more evidence and severity frames are specifically
relatable. The New York Times and The Washington emphasized, pointing to how serious Black Lives
Post almost exclusively used this frame, while The Matter and the issues it champions are. At newer,
Wall Street Journal used the severity, new evidence more liberal-leaning media institutions such as
and attribution of responsibility frame. The severity BuzzFeed, Vox and VICE, reporters use these
frame discusses the uncertainty and seriousness of frames to point to the necessity for change and the
the topic at hand, the new evidence frame severity of the issues at hand, rather than playing
emphasizes the impact of new findings, and the into the apprehensions of their audience. The use
attribution of responsibility frame looks at how the of these frames makes sense for Vox—an outlet that
government and related organizations are specializes in explanatory journalism. It is
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important for reporters there to relay just how the government, the media and other. As seen in
serious and grave the issues related to Black Lives Table 5, the most supported by every newsroom
Matter are. except The Wall Street Journal is Black Lives Matter,
In regard to the tone that each newsroom meaning that the coverage given to Black Lives
used when writing about Black Lives Matter, the Matter was more favorable to them than to any of
findings over time across the six newsrooms are the other actors. The category most supported by
more homogenous than anticipated. With the The Wall Street Journal was other. This correlates
exception of VICE in 2014 and Vox in 2020, who with the ideological categorization of the
mostly wrote about the movement in a positive investigated newsrooms, as The Wall Street Journal
tone, the majority of articles examined over the is the only newsroom that is conservative-leaning.
chosen years were neutral in tone. While this is Since Black Lives Matter is less supported amongst
expected for the legacy newsrooms because they are Republicans than Democrats, it makes sense that
traditionally committed to the standard notion of they are the only newsroom that does not support
objectivity, I anticipated that a more prevalent the movement over other actors (Pew Research
positive tone would be taken by the digital-first Center, 2020).
newsrooms, though it is notable that there was any In terms of blamed actors, there is a
positive tone at all. Language use and its diversity of answers with an equal number of
connotations also inform the tone of each article, newsrooms blaming the government, law
and as seen in Table 4, the language use across the enforcement and other categories. The New York
board is almost entirely neutral. Though there is a Times and VICE most frequently blamed the
larger quantity of neutral language articles written government, while BuzzFeed and Vox most
by the legacy newsrooms than by the digital frequently blamed law enforcement in their articles.
newsrooms, the digital newsrooms still used neutral Meanwhile, The Washington Post and The Wall
language over positive language a majority of the Street Journal most frequently blamed actors who
time. Tone is seen as an indication of objectivity in fall under the other category. These results point to
this study, since it is industry standard to report on the newsroom’s ideological leanings, but certainly
all actors neutrally, or without bias or subjectivity. not whether they are a legacy newsroom or a
This can be attributed to the prevalence of digital-first newsroom. I anticipated that the three
objectivity in journalism that has been passed down digital-first newsrooms would blame the
by the traditional newsrooms. In order to grow your government or law enforcement most frequently,
audience, you must meet the expectations laid out but seeing The New York Times do the same could
by the institutions that predate yours, which indicate a loosening of the traditional ideal of
harkens back to the gatekeeping role that legacy objectivity. Likewise, it is surprising to see The Wall
media plays (Chin-Fook & Simmonds, 2011). Street Journal had “other” as their most blamed
The last research question examined which category, rather than Black Lives Matter, seeing as
actors relevant to the coverage of Black Lives Matter they are a conservative-leaning newsroom and
were supported or blamed throughout the articles conservatives show less support for the movement
analyzed from each media institution. The relevant than liberals (Pew Research Center, 2020).
actors were Black Lives Matter, law enforcement, However, it is unsurprising that The Wall Street
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Journal did not blame law enforcement due to the like Black Lives Matter. Though liberal-tilting legacy
link between police favorability among newsrooms such as The New York Times are leaning
conservatives (Pew Research Center, 2017). in to this change, it is obvious that digital-first
newsrooms shepherded this slow burn change
Theoretical & Practical Implications across the industry. Maintaining audience trust is
With all of these observations in mind, important for outlets, but in the year 2020, the
conclusions about how Black Lives Matter has been existence of an objective ideal begs the question:
covered in both legacy and digital-first newsrooms who does it serve? Countless communities—Black
can be made. Differences in coverage are notable, people, American Indians, disabled people—in the
but not glaring. Digital-first newsrooms are more United States are already apprehensive about the
likely to push the boundaries of traditional national media because of how they have historically
journalistic objectivity through use of tone and covered these same communities. Objectivity is a
which actors they support and blame in their notion that was invented by white men and
coverage, though adherence to objectivity still continues to be upheld by majority white media
remains across the board in the realm of language institutions. Trust in the media is fragile and has
use. Digital-first newsrooms, however, are more been for many years and many reasons. As the
adversarial in their framing of coverage, prompting United States continues to become more
readers and audiences to question the status quo of progressive, trust in the media will be contingent
society, while legacy newsrooms look to humanize upon righting past editorial wrongs and making
the movement or question the movement and its meaningful changes going forward (Kenworthy,
activists. Both ways of framing can be important, 2019). This includes reporters and newsrooms being
though they point to the inherent nature of these mindful of the frequency, framing, tone and
two types of media institutions. Although only the language used in coverage of Black Lives Matter, and
legacy newsrooms were able to have their frequency every other people-powered movement in the
of coverage assessed, it is obvious that coverage United States.
across these newsrooms is in direct correlation to
major events in the trajectory of Black Lives Matter. Limitations
Legacy newsrooms, which are decades and It should be noted that my research was
decades old, are still married to their notions of limited to 10 articles per newsroom per year. There
objectivity that came about in the early to mid- was also a limited number of articles available for
twentieth century, a notion that takes the word of BuzzFeed in 2014, so in all a total of 412 articles
government and law enforcement as sacred since were analyzed. Examining more articles from each
they are more institutional than grassroots institution would likely yield more precise data and
movements and everyday citizens. The influence of results. Only six national news outlets were able to
traditional objectivity still impacts the industry as a be examined for this study, and seeing as the United
whole, but it is obvious that digital-first newsrooms, States has countless national news organizations, a
though decidedly more progressive than legacy more comprehensive evaluation that includes more
outlets, are nonetheless producing journalism that of these newsrooms is worth pursuing. Secondly,
challenges the power dynamic of mass movements and somewhat surprisingly, the digital-first
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newsrooms had a much less sophisticated search Acknowledgements
engine built into their websites, which made sorting This thesis would not at all have been possible
and finding articles more difficult and potentially without the help of many people in my life. Thank you
less methodical than the legacy news sites. This also so much to Dr. Hyejoon Rim for her expertise,
may have affected the findings. Furthermore, my kindness and patience over the last semester. Thank
findings are limited to the search terms “Black Lives you to all of my readers for helping me make my first
Matter” and “black lives matter.” By using a greater true piece of academic research as good as it can
variety of search terms, it is possible that a greater possibly be. Thank you to all of my family and friends
number of relevant articles could have been for the small ways they support me every day. Finally,
included. Lastly, a content analysis can only go so thank you to the people of Minneapolis. The summer
far in ascertaining the difference between Black of 2020 was unlike anything I have ever experienced,
Lives Matter coverage in legacy and digital-first and I will never stop fighting to make this city as
newsrooms—in order to truly measure their effects, radically safe and loving as I know it is capable of
a secondary study would need to be done to see how being.
this coverage affects their audiences.

Conclusions
While I cannot make a statement about the
effects of coverage of Black Lives Matter by the
national media, I recommend that more research
should be done to see how media consumption of
certain outlets affects readers' perception of the
movement and the correlation between the two. The
need for this research is critical—2020 has shown
tremendous growth in approval for the movement
amongst Americans, but outlets have no shared
language that is used to report on it. The movement
has called into question the status quo of the
journalism industry writ large, asking which stories
get told, who is sourced for interviews, and who is
seen as an objective voice. Examining both changes
in newsrooms themselves and their audiences is
crucial as time progresses.

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 Appendix

Codebook

Sampling Strategy
● Systematic sampling
○ 10 articles/per newsroom/per year

Coding Scheme

Part I: Basic Information

A) Article URL
B) News Organization & ideology:
1) The New York Times - liberal leaning
2) The Washington Post - liberal leaning
3) The Wall Street Journal - conservative leaning
4) BuzzFeed News - liberal
5) Vox - liberal
6) VICE - liberal
C) Author: copy and paste from the article
D) Year:
1) 2013
2) 2014
3) 2015
4) 2016
5) 2017
6) 2018
7) 2019
8) 2020

Part II: Content Coding

E) Language: what language is used in this article?

1) Positive: language such as justice, reparations, peace.
2) Neutral: language such as protest, demonstration, rally, march.
3) Negative: language such as rioting, looting, danger, violence.

E1) Frequency of positive language

E2) Frequency of neutral language
E3) Frequency of negative language

F) Blame: does the article place blame on any actor?

1) Absence
2) Presence

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 F1) If so, which actor:
1) Black Lives Matter
2) Law enforcement
3) The government
4) The media
5) Other

G) Support: does the article support or advocate for any actor?

1) Absence
2) Presence

G1) If so, which actor:

1) Black Lives Matter
2) Law enforcement
3) The government
4) The media
5) Other

H) Tone of Coverage
1) Positive
2) Neutral
3) Negative

I) Narrative Frame
1) Straight news account: no dominant narrative
2) Conflict story: conflict inherent to the story or brewing amongst actors
3) Consensus story: emphasizes points of agreement around an issue
4) Conjecture story: speculation of what’s to come
5) Historical outlook: how current events fit into history
6) Reaction story: response from a major actor
7) Mixed frame
8) Other

I1) Mixed Frame

1) If there is more than one Narrative Frame, list all relevant frames
here:________.

J) Content Frame
1) Attribution of responsibility: examines whether and how the
government and related organizations are responsible
2) Human interest: emphasizes the emotional angle, humanizes and
dramatizes the issue and its effects on everyday life

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 3) Severity: emphasizes uncertainty, seriousness, and potential harm and
threat to the public
4) Economic consequences: emphasizes financial and economic impact of
events
5) Action: prevention and education
6) New evidence: the impact of new findings
7) Mixed
8) Other

J1) If there is more than one Content Frame, list all relevant frames here:_________.

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