The organization and form of mass communication, and especially television news, is now part of the social policy process. It is suggested that news and social policy can be understood through an examination of communication formats rather than content alone. Formats refer to the rules and logic that transform and mold information or content into the recognizable shape of television news. Important elements of the television news format are accessibility, visual quality, drama and action, audience familiarity with prior messages, and thematic encapsulation. Examples from research on news coverage of terrorism and missing children illustrate how moral entrepreneurs and government officials can construct policy through newswork.
The impact of television news formats on social policy
Reprints and Corporate Permissions
Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?
To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:
Academic Permissions
Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?
Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:
If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.
Related Research Data
Related research
People also read lists articles that other readers of this article have read.
Recommended articles lists articles that we recommend and is powered by our AI driven recommendation engine.
Cited by lists all citing articles based on Crossref citations.
Articles with the Crossref icon will open in a new tab.