Saying Their Names: Shifts in News Media Framing of Police Violence

Police violence against Black Americans is a persistent crisis characterized by volatile cycles of public attention, often sparked by high-profile incidents. Sustained focus is essential for systemic change, yet a fragmented media landscape overlooks most incidents. This study investigates the mechanisms behind this volatility by analyzing how the use of victims’ names facilitates symbolic prototyping and alters news framing dynamics. Replicating and extending prior research, we examine coverage from 2019 to 2024 using Global Data on Events, Location and Tone (GDELT)’s Global Knowledge Graph. Results show pronounced but short-lived surges in news volume and thematic framing following the deaths of George Floyd and Daunte Wright. Although these events triggered a thematic shift, framing was anchored almost exclusively to their names, suggesting that they functioned as symbolic prototypes for subsequent incidents. Our results prompt reconsideration of the issue-attention cycle in a digital-first media environment. They also challenge previous conceptualizations of thematic framing and key events.