A Villains’ Charter? The Press and the Human Rights Act
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 23017694 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Lieve Gies (0000-0002-8760-8865, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2011 |
| Volume | 7 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 167-183 |
| Publication date | 2011-08-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Crime Media Culture An International Journal (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1741-6590 • E-ISSN: 1741-6604 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/1741659011407112 |
| OpenAlex | W2162196481 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 19 |
The Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA), a key piece of legislation aimed at enhancing the protection of human rights in the United Kingdom, has suffered from a bad press for as long as it has been in existence. Supporters of the legislation are concerned that it is being portrayed as a ‘villains’ charter’ which benefits only the least deserving in society. This article analyses the newspaper frames that have been applied to landmark events involving the HRA, while also giving an insight into run-of-the-mill reporting. The findings suggest that the framing is more subtle and more nuanced than the ‘villains’ charter’ epithet suggests. Focusing on broadsheet coverage of the HRA when the legislation came into force in England and Wales, it will be shown how the coverage on this occasion revealed some striking ideological differences. On the other hand, considering another milestone in the rights debate, the introduction of the controversial Identity Card scheme, it is apparent that the issue attracted a unanimous press, even if the discussion on that occasion tended to be couched in the language of civil liberties rather than that of human rights. Finally, considering tabloid coverage of a landmark ruling by the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords, the article considers who qualifies as a worthy victim in tabloid narratives about the HRA.
Charter · Civil liberties · Framing (construction) · Human rights · Legislation · Newspaper · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Commonwealth, Australian Politics and Federalism · History · Law · Law in Society and Culture · Philippine History and Culture
Mass Media, Politics and Democracy
Distorting the Law
News Media, Victims and Crime
News framing
Mass Media, Politics and Democracy
Public awareness of human rights
The missing white girl syndrome’
September 2001, Counter‐terrorism, and the Human Rights Act
Problems with the Human Rights Act 1998 and How to Remedy Them
Projections of Power
Where is the Frame
News and Journalism in the UK
Framing
| Citations per year | 0.15 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2013 - 2025 (13) |
| Highly cited | No |