The portrayal of domestic violence on MTV and LBCI

Abstract

This study focuses on determining how news reporting and TV programs that show or address domestic violence, as defined by the 1993 Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, on the two leading Lebanese channels, LBCI and MTV tend to tackle the issue, and whether the way the issue is addressed enhances female stereotypes or participates in disintegrating them. News editorials and news reports that addressed the death of three Lebanese women, Ms. Yaacoub, Ms. Assi and Ms. Abou Chakra that were aired between 9 July, 2013 and 17 February, 2014 were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively using content analysis and frame analysis and based on six themes. Four episodes of two TV programs, Tehkik on MTV and Ahmar Bil Khat AlArid on LBCI that were broadcast between 6 March, 2013 and 9 March, 2014 were also analyzed using the same method. The selection of these 6 episodes was not based on the studys time interval, however, on these two programs content that included domestic violence material. Six frames were used in order to determine this portrayal: pity, victim-blaming, perpetratorblaming, excusing the perpetrator, context and the sources used. Hence, determining the way domestic violence against women in Lebanon is portrayed on MTV and LBCI would enable the media to prevent distorted representations of women and future errors in the coverage of such topics. Also, identifying the intentions behind the portrayal of abused women in the way they are portrayed would create more literate media outlets, as well as a more media literate audience. The study also discusses the challenges that face the reporters who cover domestic violence stories, and the extent in which a reporter would preserve objectivity and be fair at the same time, when covering domestic violence incidents. The frequencies of each of the frames were detected in the media sample and the language was analyzed, in order to come up with the results found and discussed in the following study.