D.C. news media coverage of the district's Death With Dignity Act. (March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lauffer, Kimberly A.; Baker, Sean D.; Seely, Natalee
• Is Part Of: Newspaper research journal. Volume 41:Number 1(2020)
• Page Start: 53
• Page End: 70
• Publication Date: 2020-03
• Subjects: aid in dying -- District of Columbia -- journalism -- framing -- quantitative analysis; Newspapers -- Periodicals; Journalism -- Periodicals; 070.172
• DOI: 10.1177/0739532919873140
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0739-5329

Abstract

In 2016, the District of Columbia City Council passed the Death With Dignity Act. Afterward, Congress attempted to block its implementation by first invoking Congress's power to overturn the law and then, when unsuccessful in that effort, withhold money from the District. Previous studies examining local news media coverage of aid-in-dying legislation have identified several recurrent frames. D.C. news publications invoked those frames as well as others more specific to the District. Understanding how aid in dying and related legislation is portrayed in newspaper coverage is important as more jurisdictions consider legalization of the practice.