RT Article
T1 The differential portrayal of ‘sympathetic’ homicide victims in the media
JF International review of victimology
VO 26
IS 3
SP 314
OP 331
A1 Bouchard, Jessica
A2 Gushue, Kelsey
A2 Wong, Jennifer S.
LA English
YR 2020
UL https://krimdok.uni-tuebingen.de/Record/1734899522
AB The over-representation of crime is a prevalent occurrence in the media; so too is the under-representation of certain types of victims of crime. The purpose of the current study is to explore the role that characteristics of homicide victims play in the presentation and prominence of a news story. The study uses a sample of 3,998 newspaper articles on homicide from the Vancouver Sun to assess the relationship between victims who are cumulatively portrayed as more ‘sympathetic’ and structural measures of prominence in newspapers (placement on the front page, inclusion of a photograph, length of article). The findings reflect a statistically significant relationship between victim characteristics and prominent placement of a news article. Practical implications are discussed in relation to how disproportionate reporting of marginalized victims contributes to, reinforces and reproduces further marginalization in society and by law enforcement.
K1 Homicide
K1 Media
K1 Newspaper
K1 Newsworthy
K1 Victim characteristics
K1 Content analysis
DO 10.1177/0269758020916650