Family violence in the news: an analysis of media reporting of family violence in Aotearoa New Zealand

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study investigates whether coverage of family violence that resulted in a death event in New Zealand mainstream media is biased across a range of key factors – namely the gender, ethnicity and age of victims, as well as the victim’s relationship to the primary aggressor. Our results are derived from a cohort of 946 articles published online by New Zealand media outlets. Analysing the number of media articles relating to victims from each group (exposure), the polarity of language used within the articles (sentiment) and their online presence (prominence), we find that although media coverage is generally quite equitable, certain groups of victims are severely under-represented in terms of the media coverage afforded to them. In addition, there are significant differences in the sentiment of articles written about victims from different groups. This study, therefore, identifies an opportunity for raising accurate community understanding of family violence in New Zealand and for supporting victims through objective media coverage.