Alcohol-Related Crime News Coverage in Polimer News Channel: An Analytical Study

Abstract

Purpose: Television News plays a major role in informing people about the issues happening, especially crime news. Alcohol consumption affects the physical and mental health of the person who consumes it. It physically affects the person by affecting the internal organs of the body and mentally affects the brain thereby leading to commit smaller to larger crimes. Alcohol-related criminal activities frequently make headlines, on television news capturing attention with their sensational nature. Research indicates that such cases can constitute a portion of crime reporting although the extent may vary across countries and specific news sources. Nonetheless, there is a debate, about whether this coverage might be disproportionate compared to the occurrence of alcohol-related crime when compared to types of offenses. It is important to note that the way news reports portray alcohol-related crime can significantly shape the perception of people. It can be assumed that certain news will have the ability to change people’s attitudes/behavior towards public issues.
Methodology/Approach: This study examines how alcohol-related crime is depicted in news programming on the Polimer News Channel, a major Tamil news TV network. A qualitative framing analysis of news coverage is employed to determine the amount of coverage as well as the nature and prominence of that coverage. The research seeks to assess the framing techniques of alcohol-related crime — i.e. how Polimer News Channel frames the crimes; are they hyperbolic, victim-blaming, or nuanced? and finally, the prominence and slotting of coverage — i.e. where the stories are placed in the newscast; are they part of the main news segments, or are they buried in less-visible parts of the broadcast?
Findings: Polimer News Channel gives importance to alcohol-related crime stories. These stories are framed in such a manner that, an awareness or caution message will be conveyed at the end of the story that could develop fear in the minds of the viewers. The stories are portrayed with factual information and they are not hyperbolic. The framing of the news stories is not always victim-blaming, as it depends on the occurrence of the crime. The crime stories find their place in the headlines of Polimer News depending on the intensity of the crime.