When writing
about political candidates, the use of frames becomes important. By writing in
these frames, authors can tailor the information that different demographics of
readers receive.
The first frame
is the horse race; making the emphasis of the article a depiction of a race or
competition between candidates. In the article from the NY Times, the results
of “Western Tuesday” were listed. Within this article, the author details the
wins and losses of each candidate while also mentioning what comes next.
Readers are expected to see and understand the progress of the race as it
stands now. This can influence future voters who were previously on the fence
to vote for particular candidates.
The next frame is conflict. Within
this frame, authors attempt to detail a conflict between candidates or parties.
The article from CNN detailing Cruz’ statements on Ohio governor John Kasich.
The author chose to frame this article as Ted Cruz calling out John Kasich for
his determination to keep running in the primaries despite continuing to lose
state after state. Readers of this article may be swayed to vote for Cruz or
Trump once they see how far behind Kasich is in the race.
Third is the issues frame. The
importance of the candidates’ stances on different issues are highlighted
within this frame. In another article from CNN, the candidates’ positions on
terrorism are highlighted, particularly after the events in Brussels, Belgium.
Determining which candidates are more hawkish versus more dovish may be
important for voters. Issues voters would be most drawn this frame, as they can
see what the candidates believe on issues that they hold as important.
The last frame is candidate
attributes. These types of articles focus on the strengths or weaknesses of individual
candidates. From CNN, there is an article that details Donald Trump’s use of a
teleprompter after previously remarking on how he did not believe in their efficacy.
When a candidate says one thing but then does another, this frame shows its validity.
For readers that closely follow a particular candidate, articles such as this
one can show trends in a candidate’s behavior.
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