Media And Crime

Question 0

Prominence (newsworthiness)

Answer 0

The more prominent organisation/individual is the more…

-well known victims and offenders are more likely to be reported than unknown ones

Question 1

The 8 criteria of ‘newsworthiness’

Answer 1

1) prominence
2) timeliness
3) impact
4) proximity
5) novelty
6) conflict
7) Contemporaneousness
8) human interest

Question 2

Timeliness (newsworthiness)

Answer 2

The more recent the more…

-present information about crimes as isolated events rather than include information about broader social and/or historical context

Question 3

Impact (newsworthiness)

Answer 3

The greater the impact on the the audience is the more…

-tend to focus on crimes that affect a greater number of people

Question 4

Proximity (newsworthiness)

Answer 4

The closer the story to the audience is (geographically, emotionally) the more…

Question 5

Novelty (newsworthiness)

Answer 5

The more bizarre or unusual the more…

-can give the impression that such crimes are more common than there really are

Question 6

Conflict (newsworthiness)

Answer 6

The more the story contains a conflict the more…

Question 7

Contemporaneousness (newsworthiness)

Answer 7

The more the story fits with current events the more…

-rather than rely on statistical data or academic research for information about crime, they may link unrelated events and give impression they are related

Question 8

Human interest (newsworthiness)

Answer 8

The more the story highlights some positive aspect if human behaviour the more…

Question 9

What is ‘framing’?

Answer 9

Framing is a process whereby communicators act to construct a point of view to be interpreted in a particular manner.

Question 10

4 key-ways to frame

Answer 10

Define problems
Diagnose causes
Make more judgement
Suggest remedies

Question 11

Frames of media

People commit crime because…

Answer 11

1) Faulty criminal justice frame: system is not affective
2) blocked opportunities frame: lack of opportunity, discrimination
3) social breakdown frame: breakdown in social values
4) racist system frame: minorities are disproportionally caught and punished
5) violent media frame: response to increased exposure to violent media

Question 12

The volume of crime news

Answer 12

-varies over time and place
-is influenced by how crime is defined
Less crime news when crime is narrowly defined as violation of
criminal laws
More crime news when crime is broadly defined as all forms of social deviance

Question 13

Knowledge about crime

Answer 13

The media is the primary source of INDIRECT knowledge of the crime problem

DIRECT knowledge may come from personal experience and/or the experiences of those people known to us

Question 14

The reporting of crime

Answer 14

• is selective

- those deemed “newsworthy”

Question 15

Why does media over-reports on violent crime

Answer 15

• maybe is the media reflecting what is important for the audience
  
  • Violent crime is a more serious concern than other crimes
  • Keeping people informed about problem areas
  • to show effectiveness of the police&system

Question 16

Media for profit

Answer 16

Primary purpose of their existence is to make money

• some are owned by the GOVERNMENT (often ownership equates to control of media)
• some are owned by the COMMUNITY (usually funded by the government, content usually created by unpaid volunteers)

Question 17

Why is media ownership important?

Answer 17

• Decision making
• democratic process
• political influence
• political accountability
• corporate accountability
• community voice (esp. remote areas)