NCJ Number
136177
Date Published
1991
Length
392 pages
Annotation
"Representing Order" analyzes the news media including the different mediums and formats, market orientation, content, and role in society.
Abstract
Five components of representation in news communication are identified: visualizing, symbolizing, authorizing, staging, and convincing. News is seen as a vehicle to bring about order in the lives of the populace and serves as a form of social control with regard to issues of crime, law, and justice. The law and news media are viewed as agencies of policing with shared goals such as conflict resolution and keeping the peace. This relationship is evidenced by the dominance of justice stories in the news. As instruments for social reform, news media and the law focus on failure and what needs to be done to achieve success. The influences of television are evidenced by the changes in formatting for newspapers and radio including the increased use of visuals. Medium formats and market orientation influence news sources with sources choosing the best outlet suited to their needs. Tables and references