Most community firearm violence clips sampled from Philadelphia TV news stations during 2021 contained harmful content (99.7 %) and most harmful content scores were similar, according to new research from PCGVR’s multidisciplinary research collaborative: Comparison of community firearm violence news reports across four local television stations in Philadelphia, PA, USA: A quantitative media content analysis [Preventive Medicine Reports]
In our prior qualitative interview study, firearm-injured people expressed that episodic crime stories of their own shootings were dehumanizing and traumatizing. Participants noted news elements, such as graphic content and naming the treating hospital, resulted in trauma flashbacks and threats to personal safety. Our modified Delphi consensus study previously identified 12 news content elements that are potentially harmful to firearm-injured people, impacted communities, and society.
Above: PCGVR research collaborative participants meet at Temple University Hospital last year. Photographs by Kriston Bethel for PCGVR.