New Frameworks Institute and Leading for Kids Report Details Impact of Media on Public Action for Kids

WASHINGTON, and REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Nov. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The FrameWorks Institute and Leading for Kids today released How Are Children's Issues Portrayed in the News? A Media Content Analysis, the third report from their research project, Building a New Narrative about Our Kids. Researchers analyzed a sample of 186 current and historical print news articles and identified framing strategies used to discuss children's issues. The report highlights seven findings that detail how children are portrayed in the media and the potential impact of these strategies on current public thinking. It also offers recommendations for elevating public discourse on—and action for—children's health and well-being.

"All stories are framed. These frames and the larger narratives that run through stories shape our collective mindsets about key issues and what needs to be done to address them," said Nat Kendall-Taylor, CEO of the FrameWorks Institute. "When we look at children's issues, we cannot overstate the role that news media plays in influencing our thinking, and how we might create shifts in actions and engagement by shifting our frames."

"How we talk about kids and how kids' issues are represented in the media are key to raising the visibility of kids issues and developing the public will to implement the solutions that can improve their lives," said David Alexander, president of Leading for Kids. "Together with the strategic brief on cultural mindsets and report on how advocates talk about kids, we now have a comprehensive foundation from which to develop a new narrative to not only talk about, but take action for, kids in our country."

Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Children's Hospital Association, the FrameWorks Institute and Leading for Kids are developing a new narrative for how we think and talk about kids. Their project seeks to increase the salience of children's issues and build our collective responsibility to better address them. Today's publication follows How Are Advocates Talking about Children's Issues? (September 2021) and Why Aren't Kids a Policy Priority? (June 2021). The final phase of the project will create and test new effective narratives and framing strategies.

Download the report: How Are Children's Issues Portrayed in the News? A Media Content Analysis.

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Media Contact:
Lindsay Okamoto
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SOURCE FrameWorks Institute; Leading for Kids