Framing an Emerging Issue: How U.S. Print and Broadcast News Media Covered Sex Trafficking, 2008–2012

Authors: Johnston, Anne; Friedman, Barbara & Sobel, Meghan

Abstract: Sex trafficking has increasingly become a topic on the public and political agenda. This study revealed that coverage of sex trafficking in U.S. print and broadcast media from 2008–2012 was largely episodic, focused on crime and policy frames, privileged official sources, and neglected survivors’ voices. However, findings suggest a shift toward thematic framing as the issue became more widely understood by the public and policymakers.

Keywords: content analysis, media framing, sex trafficking