Research Mentor(s)

Webb, Sheila

Description

The widespread conversation on sexual assault and harassment that has been growing since October 2017 has impacted many industries, including journalism. Movements such as #MeToo and Time’s Up aim to raise awareness about the prevalence of these issues and stop the cycle of abuse. Within these movements, many celebrities have spoken publicly about their experiences, resulting in extensive media coverage on an issue that has historically been swept under the rug. The terminology that is used when it comes to issues of sex crimes and allegations is incredibly important because there is a great amount of nuance between terms. It is the responsibility of journalists to report on issues fairly and truthfully, with their full contexts, so the public may engage with the world around them with a clearer understanding of impactful events and issues. This ethical audit examines MSNBC, the BBC and Fox News’ coverage of the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements. This audit includes 23 articles and clips from the BBC, 21 from MSNBC and 20 from Fox News, within the research domain of October 18 2017- February 28 2018. These three sources provide a variety of perspectives, while the domain captures the range of coverage since the moments began, until when this audit was started. This audit seeks to understand if MSNBC, Fox News and the BBC all cover the #MeToo and Times Up Movement differently, what kind of language is used when describing the actions of people who perpetrate this inappropriate behavior and who is interviewed and quoted in each of these articles and clips.

Document Type

Event

Start Date

17-5-2018 12:00 PM

End Date

17-5-2018 3:00 PM

Department

Journalism

Genre/Form

student projects, posters

Subjects – Topical (LCSH)

Television broadcasting of news--United States; Journalism--Objectivity--United States; Sex crimes--Press coverage--United States; Press--United States--Public opinion; Mass media--Political aspects--United States

Subjects – Names (LCNAF)

MSNBC--Political and social views; Fox News--Political and social views; British Broadcasting Corporation--Political and social views

Geographic Coverage

United States

Type

Image

Keywords

#MeToo, Time's Up, Journalism, Ethics, Women, News, Sexual Assault, Movements

Rights

Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission.

Language

English

Format

application/pdf

COinS
 
May 17th, 12:00 PM May 17th, 3:00 PM

Coverage of the #MeToo & Time’s Up Movement: Examining who is quoted and what terminology is used in MSNBC, Fox News and the BBC’s coverage of the #MeToo and Time’s Up Movements

The widespread conversation on sexual assault and harassment that has been growing since October 2017 has impacted many industries, including journalism. Movements such as #MeToo and Time’s Up aim to raise awareness about the prevalence of these issues and stop the cycle of abuse. Within these movements, many celebrities have spoken publicly about their experiences, resulting in extensive media coverage on an issue that has historically been swept under the rug. The terminology that is used when it comes to issues of sex crimes and allegations is incredibly important because there is a great amount of nuance between terms. It is the responsibility of journalists to report on issues fairly and truthfully, with their full contexts, so the public may engage with the world around them with a clearer understanding of impactful events and issues. This ethical audit examines MSNBC, the BBC and Fox News’ coverage of the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements. This audit includes 23 articles and clips from the BBC, 21 from MSNBC and 20 from Fox News, within the research domain of October 18 2017- February 28 2018. These three sources provide a variety of perspectives, while the domain captures the range of coverage since the moments began, until when this audit was started. This audit seeks to understand if MSNBC, Fox News and the BBC all cover the #MeToo and Times Up Movement differently, what kind of language is used when describing the actions of people who perpetrate this inappropriate behavior and who is interviewed and quoted in each of these articles and clips.

 

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