FAQ
logo of Jagiellonian University in Krakow

The BBC’s Framing of Trump’s Reaction to the 2020 Election and the Capitol Insurrection

Publication date: 03.2024

Media Research Issues, 2024, Volume 67, Numer 1 (257), pp. 121 - 137

https://doi.org/10.4467/22996362PZ.24.008.19196

Authors

Fathi Bourmeche
University of Sfax, Tunisia
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5595-3878 Orcid
All publications →

Titles

The BBC’s Framing of Trump’s Reaction to the 2020 Election and the Capitol Insurrection

Abstract

The aim of this article is to throw more light on media framing and its impact on the public. Attention is paid to the way the BBC has portrayed Trump’s reaction to the 2020 US presidential election and the Capitol insurrection. The assumption is that Trump’s reaction to the election results was a precedent in American history, which would presumably have a significant impact on the image of the US around the world. A corpus selected from the official website of the BBC is qualitatively analyzed using McCombs’ media framing. Media frames are also juxtaposed with Gallup polls covering similar issues. Findings reveal that Trump’s reaction to the election as well as the Capitol Hill event were framed in relation to three themes. The first one is the tight race for the White House and the highly-contested campaign on social media. The second theme is Trump’s narrative of a fraudulent election and the potential violence to stop the steal. The third theme is the Capitol Hill riots and their impact on the US image and American democracy. In this sense, the article could offer a deeper insight into media effects in relation to Trump’s narrative and its impact on the American political landscape.

References

Download references

BBC. (2021a). US Congress in turmoil as violent Trump supporters breach building. BBC [https://www.bbc.co.uk; 27.09.2021].

BBC. (2021b). Capitol riots: Who broke into the building? BBC [https://www.bbc.co.uk; 27.09.2021].

BBC. (2021c). Boris Johnson condemns ‘disgraceful scenes’ in US. BBC [https://www.bbc.co.uk; 7.09.2021].

BBC. (2020a). US Election 2020: Biden and Trump hit swing states. BBC [https://www.bbc.co.uk; 18.09.2021].

BBC. (2020b). US Election 2020: Biden and Trump make final pitches to voters. BBC [https://www.bbc.co.uk; 25.09.2021].

BBC. (2020c). US election 2020: Do postal ballots lead to voting fraud? BBC [https://www.bbc.co.uk; 26.09.2021].

BBC. (2020d). US election 2020: Fact-checking Trump’s speech on election night. BBC  [https://www.bbc.co.uk; 25.09.2021].

BBC. (2020e). US Election 2020: Missouri officials cover noose near polling booths. BBC [https://www.bbc.co.uk; 7.02.2022].

BBC. (2020f). US Election 2020: Tense wait as US election winner remains unclear. BBC [https://www.bbc.co.uk; 25.09.2021].

BBC. (2020g). US election 2020: Trump ally Chris Christie urges him to accept defeat. BBC [https://www.bbc.co.uk; 7.02.2022].

BBC. (2020h). US Election: Twitter hides Trump tweet about ‘disappearing’ lead. BBC [https://www.bbc.co.uk; 26.09.2021].

Boczkowski P.J., Papacharissi Z. (eds.) (2018). Trump and the Media. Cambridge, MA.

Brenan M. (2020). Biden’s Favorability Rises to 55%, Trump’s Dips to 42%. Gallup [https://www.gallup.com/home.aspx; 11.01.2022].

Bryant N. (2020). US election 2020: Why Donald Trump lost. BBC [https://www.bbc.co.uk; 26.09.2021].

Corasaniti N. (2020). How Immigrant Twin Brothers Are Beating Trump’s Team on Facebook. New York Times [ https://www.nytimes.com ; 19.05.2020].

Fabbri T. (2020). US election 2020: The people behind the political memes you share. BBC [ https://www.bbc.co.uk ; 18.09.2021].

Giles C., Robinson O., Sardarizadeh S. (2020). US election 2020: How a misleading post went from the fringes to Trump’s Twitter. BBC [ https://www.bbc.co.uk ; 26.09.2021].

McCombs M., Shaw D.L., Weaver D. (eds.) (1997). Communication and Democracy: Exploring the Intellectual Frontiers in Agenda‑Setting Theory. Mahwah, NJ.

McCombs M. (2004). Setting the Agenda: The Mass Media and Public Opinion. Cambridge.

Mccarthy J. (2020). Americans More Satisfied with Biden Than Trump Campaign. Gallup [https://www.gallup.com/home.aspx; 12.01.2022].

McKelvey T. (2020). US election 2020: Beer and angst as White House party defies another protocol. BBC [https://www.bbc.co.uk ; 25.09.2021].

Pandey M., Rackham A. (2021). Capitol riots: How it feels to be an American in the UK. BBC [https://www.bbc.co.uk ; 27.09.2021].

Sardarizadeh S. (2020). US election 2020: Fox News, Newsmax walk back voter fraud claims after legal threat. BBC [https://www.bbc.co.uk; 26.09.2021].

Schier S.E., Eberly T.E. (2017). The Trump Presidency: Outsider in the Oval Office. London.

Wead D. (2019). Inside Trump’s White House: The Authorized Story. London.

Wendling M. (2021). QAnon: What is it and where did it come from? BBC [https://www.bbc.co.uk; 2.02.2022].

Zurcher A. (2021). Capitol riot: What does a deadly day mean for Trump’s legacy? BBC [https://www.bbc.co.uk; 27.09.2021].

Information

Information: Media Research Issues, 2024, Volume 67, Numer 1 (257), pp. 121 - 137

Article type: Original article

Titles:

English: The BBC’s Framing of Trump’s Reaction to the 2020 Election and the Capitol Insurrection
Polish: The BBC’s Framing of Trump’s Reaction to the 2020 Election and the Capitol Insurrection

Authors

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5595-3878

Fathi Bourmeche
University of Sfax, Tunisia
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5595-3878 Orcid
All publications →

University of Sfax, Tunisia

Published at: 03.2024

Article status: Open

Licence: CC BY  licence icon

Percentage share of authors:

Fathi Bourmeche (Author) - 100%

Article corrections:

-

Publication languages:

English

Suggested citations: Harvard

Bourmeche, F., 2024. The BBC’s Framing of Trump’s Reaction to the 2020 Election and the Capitol Insurrection. Media Research Issues, Volume 67, Numer 1 (257) (2024), pp. 121-137