The Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting

New research from PCGVR collaborative identifies and rates harmful gun violence reporting in the news

January 9, 2025

New research on media coverage of community gun violence now more clearly defines harmful news reporting practices. The study included 21 experts — from the gun violence survivor community, journalism practice, and scholarship — who participated in a three-round anonymous survey; an iterative process through which they identified 12 specific harmful elements found in news reports, and then rated those harms across three levels. Read More

CDC webinar hosting PCGVR team

December 24, 2024

PCGVR director of research Dr. Jessica Beard and newsroom liaison Oronde McClain will participate in Building Community Resiliency Through Storytelling and Media Narratives, a webinar presented by the CDC’s Division of Violence Prevention on January 15 at 2 PM ET. Read More

Engaging with newsrooms

December 1, 2024

Maxayn Gooden and Oronde McClain were sporting our new PCGVR staff gear when they took part in an NBC10 Listens Tour event last week at The Met in North Philadelphia. Maxayn is our Credible Messenger Read More

PCGVR research director speaks with Radio France Internationale

November 7, 2024

PCGVR director of research Dr. Jessica Beard discussed our work, gun violence prevention and the role of the media during a recent interview with Radio France Internationale. Read More

Downward trend in Philadelphia shooting victims enters third year

October 27, 2024

While some reports have attributed reductions in Philadelphia gun violence to more recent local activities, the current decline has persisted since late 2022 and appears to be part of a national trend. Read More

Weekly Brief: 08.22.24

August 22, 2024

Each week we share news from our Center plus local updates on gun violence and prevention from our partners at Billy Penn. This week: Association of Gun Violence Reporters aims to link journalists across the U.S. Read More

Association of Gun Violence Reporters aims to link journalists across the U.S.

August 19, 2024

By Sammy Caiola In the spirit of professional media organizations such as the Association of Health Care Journalists and the Society of Environmental Journalists, four gun violence reporters posted across the U.S. have created the Read More

Communications conference recap

August 15, 2024

PCGVR newsroom liaison Orodne McClain and some of our favorite partners participated in the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication national conference in Philadelphia. Read More

Weekly Brief: 08.15.24

August 15, 2024

Each week we share news from our Center plus local updates on gun violence and prevention from our partners at Billy Penn. This week: Communications conference recap. New lows in Philadelphia shooting victim data. Research roundup.

Avove: PCGVR newsroom liaison Orodne McClain and some of our favorite partners participated in the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication national conference last weekend in Philadelphia. Photo: Oronde listens as Prof. Yvonne Latty, director of the Logan Center for Urban Investigative Reporting at Temple University, discusses our collaborative documentary: The Second Trauma. Temple Journalism professor and PCGVR research partner Jennifer Midberry is at right. Philadelphia Inquirer managing editor of visuals Danese Kenon and University of Montana journalism Prof. Lisa Krantz also participated. Washington and Lee University journalism Prof. Patrick Walters, previous longtime Philadelphia Associated Press reporter and Temple PhD alum, broke down our Credible Messenger Reporting Project during a separate session.

PCGVR founders discuss gun violence reporting

August 8, 2024

PCGVR director Jim MacMillan and research director Dr. Jessica Beard discuss gun violence, prevention and the role of the media on The Trauma Beat podcast with journalist, trauma researcher and author Tamara Cherry Read More

Weekly Brief: 08.08.24

August 8, 2024

Each week we share news from our Center plus local updates on gun violence and prevention from our partners at Billy Penn.

This week: PCGVR founders discuss gun violence reporting. Progress despite mass shootings.

Above: PCGVR newsroom liaison Oronde McClain speaks at the National Gun Violence Prevention Summit last winter in Washington. This week he will join a panel at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication national conference in Philadelphia.

WEEKLY BRIEF: 08.01.24

August 1, 2024