BRENNA MICKEY COM 564 Western Media Framing the Kosovo Conflict
Aug 23, 2014
BRENNA MICKEY COM 564
Western Media Framing the Kosovo Conflict
“Media framing shapes the social construction of reality
and provides a conceptual and theoretical framework for analyzing the news content…
Framing is an unavoidable part of the process of
choosing what aspect of reality to describe and how to
describe it.” “DID THE U.S. MEDIA REFLECT THE REALITY OF THE KOSOVO
WAR IN AN OBJECTIVE MANNER?” - J. KE
Kosovo History Overveiw After the First World War, Kosovo was integrated into Yugoslavia as a province of Serbia. 90% of Kosovars are ethnically Albanian and speak Albanian, having a strong brotherhood with them.
Kosovar Albanians began an uprising against Serbia for freedom and Serbian military, led by Slobodan Milosevice, responded with an ethnic cleansing.
NATO intervened with an airstrike and occupation of Kosovo, resulting in a ceasefire on June 5, 1999.
“A HISTORIC INTERVENTION: THE US IN KOSOVO”
Framing Techniques by U.S. Media in the Kosovo
Theme
Comparison
Wording
Imagery
Theme in the Frame
“The best way to determine how citizens use frames to comprehend political issues is to examine what
makes certain frames successful. A good frame is the heart of the story”
“MAKING SENSE OF ISSUES THROUGH MEDIA FRAMES: UNDERSTANDING THE KOSOVO CRISIS” - KINDER & BRINKSEY
Comparison in the Frame
“I never could have imagined that when the time finally came for him [Wiesel] to stand in this spot and to reflect on the past century
and the future to come, that we would be seeing children in Kosovo crowded into trains, separated from families, separated from their
homes, robbed of their childhoods, their memories, their humanity. It is something that causes all of us to pause and reflect…how could all this be happening once again at the end of
this century?”
“KOSOVO AND THE METAPHOR WAR” - R. PARIS
- HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON
Comparison in the Frame
Nazis Hitler Jews
Serbs MilosevicKosovars
“KOSOVO AND THE METAPHOR WAR” - R. PARIS
Wording in the Frame
“Frames do not need to present strong arguments for one side or another in order to change public
opinion. Small subtle differences in the presentation of information can
sometimes do the trick.”
“MAKING SENSE OF ISSUES THROUGH MEDIA FRAMES: UNDERSTANDING THE KOSOVO CRISIS” - KINDER & BRINKSEY
Wording in the Frame
“Albanians and Kosovars, Balkans and Muslims, Serbs and Yugoslavians often overlapped in the language that was reported,
resulting in a culturally blended and incorrect representation of various
groups of people.”
“MEDIA AND WAR EVENTS: THE INFLUENCE OF MEDIA INFOR-MATION ABOUT THE KOSOVO WAR” - P. LALLI
Imagery in the Frame
“The media tends to rely on familiar imagery, sometimes blatantly
stereotyping cultures so that the audiences have something to
relate to.”
“WEEPING WOMEN, WRINGING HANDS: HOW THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA STEREOTYPED WOMEN’S EXPERIENCES IN
KOSOVO” - A. DEL ZOTTO
Imagery in the Frame
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/inatl/balkans/perkinsguzy/guzy_54.html
Carol Guzy, Washington PostBorder of Albania & Kosovo
Pulitzer Prize 1999
Conclusion
“While Western media framed the Kosovo War, whether it was
through the theme, in comparison, language or imagery, it was all to help Westerners understand the occurrences more clearly in this
exotic country.”
“WESTERN MEDIA FRAMING THE KOSOVO CONFLICT” -B. MICKEY