Abstract

On April 20, 1999, two Columbine High School students started a shooting rampage, ultimately killing 12 students and one teacher, wounding 21 victims, then completing suicide. Using media frame analysis (MFA), we examined 265 transcribed major network television news stories aired during the 48 hours following the shooting. In these stories, we investigated the frequency of warning signs of youth violence. Though later disputed, stories included warning signs that fortified the myth of the juvenile superpredator. Television news coverage of school shootings often spotlights perpetrators, fuels false narratives, creates an inflated sense of risk and vulnerability, and fails to place such events in the larger context of youth violence. We urge professionals to contextualize news stories within a broader framework of youth violence; to support fact-based communication between the media, school administrators, and law enforcement; to eliminate the spotlight on perpetrators; and to carefully consider reactionary responses that are not evidence-based nor proven effective.

Impact Statement

Television news coverage following the Columbine High School shooting demonstrates how the media portrays details and frames a story that fuels public concern and fear. In contrast, data from the 1990s to the present day describe a significant decline in youth violence and crime. However, the media’s portrayal of Columbine failed to provide a broader context of decreasing youth violence and the extremely rare occurrence of school shootings. Following Columbine, flawed school safety and discipline policies led to increased school expulsions and youth incarceration. Additionally, national organizations created a list of youth violence risk factors. However, these risk factors do not accurately predict or explain extremely violent acts, such as school shootings.

摘要

1999年4月20日，两名哥伦拜恩高中学生开枪横冲直撞，最终造成12名学生和一名教师死亡，21名受害者受伤，随后自杀。使用媒体框架分析 (MFA)，我们检查了枪击事件发生后 48 小时内播放的 265 个转录的主要网络电视新闻故事。在这些故事中，我们调查了青少年暴力警告信号的频率。尽管后来存在争议，但故事中包含的警告标志强化了少年超级食肉动物的神话。对校园枪击事件的电视新闻报道往往突出肇事者，助长虚假叙述，营造一种夸大的风险和脆弱感，并且未能将此类事件置于青少年暴力的大背景下。我们敦促专业人士在更广泛的青年暴力框架内将新闻故事背景化；支持媒体、学校管理人员和执法部门之间基于事实的沟通；消除对肇事者的关注；并仔细考虑没有证据支持或证明有效的反应性反应。

影响声明

哥伦拜恩高中枪击事件后的电视新闻报道展示了媒体如何描绘细节并构建一个引发公众关注和恐惧的故事。相比之下，从 1990 年代至今的数据显示，青少年暴力和犯罪率显着下降。然而，媒体对哥伦拜恩的描述未能提供一个更广泛的背景，即青少年暴力减少和校园枪击事件极为罕见。在哥伦拜恩之后，有缺陷的学校安全和纪律政策导致学校开除和青少年监禁增加。此外，国家组织制定了一份青年暴力风险因素清单。然而，这些风险因素并不能准确预测或解释极端暴力行为，例如校园枪击事件。