Framing Income Inequality in the Media: Is There a Liberal or Neoliberal Bias?

This study is a quantitative content analysis that analyzes how The New York Times framed income inequality between 2006 and 2010. A thorough review of the literature regarding rising income inequality in the United States, media theory, framing, bias, cultural hegemony, liberal and neoliberal political trends, and social mobility precedes findings that media coverage of income inequality declined while inequality grew. Various neoliberal, liberal, and neutral frames are identified and examined for slant and bias. I find that while the Times has a slight liberal bias in framing income inequality, a neoliberal hegemonic discourse pervades how the issue is addressed. Finally, I address the significance of social mobility as an absent frame in the media's discourse on income inequality.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts in Social Sciences (M.A.)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis (open access)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Department of Sociology and Anthropology

Year dc:date.available

2012

Author dc:creator

• Byrne, Rebecca Jolene

Contributors dc:contributor

• Heidi Altman
• Erik Brooks

• ETD
• Income inequality
• Cultural hegemony
• Media theory
• Framing
• Bias
• Income distribution
• Income

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/622

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu:etd-1622