What's in a Frame? A Content Analysis of Media Framing Studies in the World's Leading Communication Journals, 1990-2005

This paper provides a systematic analysis of media framing studies in the world's leading communication journals. A quantitative content analysis of 131 studies published in fifteen international journals demonstrates how frames are conceptualized and measured. Current problems in framing research include lack of operational precision, the descriptive focus of many analyses, neglect of visuals, and insufficient reporting of reliability.