The Boston Marathon Bombings
A Case Study in Visual Framing Ethics
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22124808 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Daniel Hunt (0000-0003-0755-7015, Worcester State University, corresponding author), Daniel S Hunt (Worcester State University), Gerard Jalette (University of Rhode Island) |
| Year | 2021 |
| Volume | 36 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 111-126 |
| Publication date | 2021-05-04 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Media Ethics (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2373-6992 • E-ISSN: 2373-700X |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/23736992.2021.1899825 |
| OpenAlex | W3140145587 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 42 |
On April 15, 2013, two bombs were ignited near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing three people and injuring hundreds. The news “frames” used to depict the Boston Marathon bombings have contributed to our collective interpretation of this event. This study adopts a mixed-method approach to understand the ethical nature of the news frames used to represent the bombings. First, content analytic methods were used to codify the visual framing devices employed by newspapers during the aftermath of the marathon bombings. Our content analysis indicated the most frequent image framing devices were crowd reactions and suspects, with headlines focused on the cause of the bombings. A qualitative thematic analysis was then conducted based on in-depth interviews with photojournalism experts. Our thematic analysis resulted in three key themes that guide photojournalism when covering tragic events: storytelling importance, editorial decision-making, and professional codes
Art · Content analysis · Frame analysis · Literature · Media studies · Narrative · Newspaper · Photography · Photojournalism · Political science · Qualitative research · Social science · Sociology · Storytelling · Thematic analysis · Visual arts · Visual methods · History · Media Influence and Health · Media Studies and Communication · Public Relations and Crisis Communication
The Content Analysis Guidebook
The levels of visual framing
Framing-effects approach
Framing Islam
Media Images and the Social Construction of Reality
Media Coverage of Acts of Terrorism
Witnessing in crisis
News framing of the ‘Detroit Bomber’ in the Nigerian press
Of Photographs and Flags
Images of Injury
The anatomy of a photojournalistic icon
Putting the Image Back Into the Frame
Passing the “Breakfast Test
What visual journalists think others think The perceived impact of news photographs on public opinion formation
Conflictual Media Events, Eyewitness Images, and the Boston Marathon Bombing (2013)
Framing “Bad News
This is Still their Lives
Photojournalism
Framing Terror
The Effects of Dominant Photographs
What's in a Frame? A Content Analysis of Media Framing Studies in the World's Leading Communication Journals, 1990-2005
Conceptual Issues in Framing Theory
The primes of our times
The Handbook of Visual Analysis
Regarding the pain of others
Framing
Framing responsibility for political issues
The Civil Contract of Photography
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |