Institutional Isomorphism and the Community Structure Approach in Visual Framing of the Trayvon Martin Shooting

Abstract

Institutional isomorphism and the community structure approach present two very different editorial decision-making processes, which could potentially lead to very different news products. This study tested hypotheses related to the two approaches within visual framing of the Trayvon Martin shooting. Images used by two elite national newspapers and three newspapers from racially distinct communities were compared. Evidence of normative isomorphism was found, though it was unclear if intermedia agenda setting by elite publications was responsible. Hypotheses predicting different visual framing among different community structures were not supported. Theoretical implications for considering intermedia agenda setting under the institutional isomorphism framework are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• community structure
• institutional isomorphism
• intermedia agenda setting
• newspapers
• race and ethnicity
• visual framing

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The author thanks Dr. Mignon Kucia for a happenstance conversation that spurred the project, Dr. Wilson Lowrey for his theoretical insight, and the reviewers for their recommendations.