Framing the Gun Control Debate: Press Releases and Framing Strategies of the National Rifle Association and the Brady Campaign*

Abstract

Objective How can social movements increase their presence in the news? We argue that press releases can do so via social movement framing. Press releases from, and news coverage of, social movement organizations (SMOs) in the gun control debate serve as our case. Methods A qualitative framing analysis is conducted to identify frames in press releases from the National Rifle Association and the Brady Campaign. Logistic regressions assess the effect of frames in press releases on New York Times coverage of the gun control debate. Results We find that both organizations use systematic framing strategies in their press releases. Only the Brady Campaign has a significant association between specific frames in its press releases and coverage in the New York Times. Conclusions Press releases are viable tactics for SMOs, but biases in news media have implications for how effective press releases might be for an SMO.

Narrative Strategies in the Gun Policy Debate: Exploring Proximity and Social Construction

“…For example, when a group posts to Facebook, the post is visible to the group's followers, who, in turn, can share it with others who are predisposed to agree with the group's aims, though they have been previously uninvolved . While prior research has examined framing by gun policy groups, these studies have focused on other communication venues, including member newsletters, emails, and press releases (see Merry, ; Smith‐Walter, Peterson, Jones, & Reynolds Marshall, ; Steidley & Colen, ). By analyzing Facebook posts, this research provides a broader understanding of gun policy groups' narrative strategies.…”

“…While much scholarship has explored the framing of gun policy, the bulk of that work has focused on general themes or arguments made in support or opposition to gun control (see Callaghan & Schnell, ; Steidley & Colen, ; Vizzard, ). For example, Callaghan and Schnell () identified 18 frames utilized by the media, members of Congress, and interest groups, including “Public Health Emergency,” “Right to Public Safety,” “Guns Don't Kill, People Do,” and “Guns Deter Crime” (pp.…”

Does “Politicizing” Gun Violence Increase Support for Gun Control? Experimental Evidence from the Las Vegas Shooting

“…A mass shooting increases the salience of the issue of gun violence, providing an opportunity for entrepreneurs in the gun control policy stream to pursue their policy goals (Jones and Jenkins‐Smith, ; Kingdon, ). The institutional barriers to gun control reform—most notably the singular power of the NRA and increasing resistance to gun control measures in the Supreme Court—are substantial (Kleck, ; Richards, ; Steidley and Colen, ). However, even with these barriers in place, conventional models of the policy‐making process would still predict that the aftermath of a mass shooting would provide a unique opportunity to overcome such obstacles.…”

Políticas Públicas Em Suicídio: Do Paternalismo Clássico Ao Paternalismo Libertário E Nudging

“…Essa dicotomia se mostra mais evidente nos Estados Unidos, onde há um fortíssimo embate. Portanto, naturalmente, em que pesem inúmeros estudos demonstrarem a direta relação entre posse de arma de fogo e maior risco de evento suicida por arma de fogo 137 , também se encontram aqueles que, em oposição, defendem a utilização de arma de fogo como instrumento essencial e eficaz de defesa contra a criminalidade 138 , a ponto de a National Rifle Association (NRA) ter iniciado um estudo de viabilidade de instalar seguranças armados em escolas após o massacre em Sandy Hook Elementary School, em 2012, sob seu famigerado mantra de que "apenas um bom homem com uma arma é capaz de impedir um homem mau com uma arma" 139 .…”