Media, Images, and Meaning: The Role of Visual Framing in Shaping Public Perception

Abstract

This study analyses how visual framing influenced the presentation and interpretation of photographs released following the terrorist attack at Nairobi’s Westgate Mall on September 21, 2013.  It assessed how photojournalists framed this incident in the Daily Nation, Standard, and New York Times by examining the framing's effect on public perception of the attack. The research adopted a qualitative descriptive approach, utilising descriptive content analysis with MaxQDA software to examine photographs for recurring patterns, themes, and visual framing techniques.  A sample of fifty (50) photographs from the first three pages of the Daily Nation, The Standard, and The New York Times published on September 21-24, 2013, was analysed. Nine media professionals were chosen for interviews using purposive sampling. Semiology was utilised to derive meanings from the images using Rodriguez and Dimitrova's four-tiered model, with a focus on denotative, stylistic-semiotic, connotative, and ideological representations. The findings revealed that media prioritised sensational images to boost viewership, and this influences audience perceptions through fear and inspiration. The visual framing created denotative meanings and ideological representations, though audience interpretations may have been swayed by cognitive biases and cultural norms, diverging from journalists' intentions. The study contributes to the field of communication by promoting visual literacy and empowering audiences to critically analyse media content and become discerning consumers of news. Ethical considerations are crucial in determining which frames to use. It is essential that journalists balance the need for information with respect for victims' dignity.