Stoneleigh Foundation, FrameWorks Institute, Stoneleigh Fellow Jessica Beard, and her colleagues at the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting have published a new toolkit for minimizing harms from media coverage on gun violence.
News coverage of gun violence often inadvertently perpetuates stereotypical narratives about the people and communities most impacted. Typical coverage focuses on individual episodes of gun violence and often lacks an explanation of what causes it and what could be done to prevent it. These reporting practices can further stigmatize marginalized communities and promote fatalism around gun violence prevention. By changing the way gun violence is covered, reporters can take an active role in minimizing harm to injured people, communities, and society—and even make an important contribution toward preventing gun violence.
