Quantifying Media Representation Dynamics Across 25 Years of News Reporting on Policing-related Deaths
arXiv:2606.06812v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: We perform the largest known computational analysis of Canadian news narratives about police-involved deaths, spanning 4,000 articles from the last quarter-century. We develop a novel computational model, PerspectiveGap, grounded in prior sociological work on media representation of policing. We find that reporting on police-involved deaths on average features perspectives from state bureaucrats at a rate nearly three times as much as perspectives from other members of the public, including relatives, community members, eyewitnesses, lawyers repr
This research analyzes historical news data over the past 25 years, suggesting a current academic interest in media representation but not reflecting an immediate event or trigger.
While providing insight into media bias in police-involved death reporting, this academic paper does not inherently alter strategic landscapes or major institutional trends for a sophisticated reader.
This study offers a quantitative method for analyzing media representation, potentially influencing future academic approaches to media studies, but not altering existing power structures or market conditions.
- · Media studies researchers
- · Social justice advocates
- · None
Increased academic understanding of media bias in policing narratives.
Potential for similar computational models to be applied to other areas of media analysis.
Long-term influence on journalistic practices if such research gains widespread attention and acceptance.
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