A Comparative Content Analysis of Marriage Equality in Television News
Authors:   , Johnson Chanell Monique , Selinger Janice , Tedesco Albert S. 
Published: July 2021

Here remains a major vehicle for Americans to obtain news content. By using a massive platform, this medium has shaped policy and debate around controversial issues throughout its inception. Mainstream news consumption influences opinion and perception in contentious topics. Throughout the early Twenty-first century, television news has sustained existing attention to civil rights issues. However, news content has shifted from demographic civil rights claims to same-sex constitutional rights claims, termed marriage equality. In 2014, these issues gathered much attention as a result of the Supreme Court's non-ruling on five states' federal appellate court rulings on gay marriage-Indiana, Utah, Oklahoma, Virginia and Wisconsin. Moreover, analytical researchers have charged television news organizations with inaccurate framing and depiction of same-sex civil rights issues; and diminished dialogue between editors and reporters in the newsroom who report on the topic (Aarons, Murphy, The National Lesbian and Gay Journalists, Annenberg School for Communication, 2000). Researchers assert television news organizations' coverage of marriage equality, and related issues, highlight a one-two dimensional conflict between official speaking sources that relegate alternative perspectives by relying on standard historic sources (Moscowitz, 2009). For instance, it is widely recognized that legal, medical, religious and political authorities are sought out field-defined official sources by reporters who can provide an authoritative perspective (Alwood, 1996; Bennet, 2000, Gross, 2001). News coverage often reported conflict among these sources in legal and political developments on marriage equality leaving minimal space for the voices of gay and lesbian citizens most impacted by the controversial debate. Additionally, historically reported events depicted members of the gay and lesbian community as sexually deviant and a threat to social order. The purpose of this research study is to build upon previous claims in the depiction of marriage equality and those portrayed in news coverage related to the issue. Drawing from results and recommendations for further analysis produced by previous researchers, this comparative quantitative content analytical study examined the change of attention, news' voice narratives, sourcing initiatives and distinctive claims. The study examined the following national networks: ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and owned and operated local television stations in Philadelphia, PA, as well as one American 24 hours news channel: CNN. The study examined the networks throughout January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2014. Variations existed between participating networks in the presentation of news coverage centrally concerned with the topic. However, the results revealed an alteration in packaging and presentation. Emphasis of attention was employed by all networks, albeit, fewer stories did suggest news coverage as a separate or distinctive claim. Coverage centered in the U.S. relied less on the historical depiction of gays and lesbians as a threat to social order, whereas, international coverage remained resonant in this characteristic. Those fighting for constitutional rights were framed as heteronormative. Heteronormative is strictly defined as the portrayal of gays and lesbians from the perspective of a male-heterosexual prism or the depiction of gays and lesbians as more palatable to a heterosexual society in news coverage. Furthermore, the results indicated official speakers were more likely to present their perspectives in news coverage. However, among the official speaker sources, those in support of marriage-equality were more likely to obtain speaking roles. Lastly, coverage heavily reported 'cultural and societal shifts' on the subject and not a 'cultural divide.'