Comeback coverage : thematic content in the news media's reporting on Donald Trump's attacks

Abstract

This thesis is informed by gatekeeping and frame-building theories. It uses straightforward textual analysis to determine what forms of thematic content are repeated in coverage from The New York Times, The Washington Post, and CNN of President Donald Trump's attacks on the outlets. The thesis applies the textual analysis of 24 stories responding to Trump's attacks -- eight CNN stories, eight Washington Post stories, and eight New York Times stories. The findings of this research show a multitude of reportorial strategies in covering Trump's hostile rhetoric toward the news media. This includes various types of repeated tones and narratives used throughout the 24 artifacts. The research also shows that neither The Times, The Post, nor CNN knows how, exactly, to cover Trump's combative relationship with the news media.