BMSG statement on Uvalde shooting: Creating a narrative of hope in the aftermath of tragedy
Thursday, May 26, 2022If you are anything like us, you were still reeling from the Buffalo shooting when the horrific news broke out of Uvalde, Texas. And if news coverage of this massacre is consistent with patterns we’ve identified after other mass shootings, from Columbine to Sandy Hook, public discussions about gun violence will rightly dominate the news in the days ahead. During that time, journalists will report in-depth stories that aim to leave no stone unturned. They will (and have already begun to) discuss the state and country’s broader context of lax gun restrictions, ask what can be done to prevent further tragedies, and spotlight the role of the gun lobby in blocking existing efforts at prevention.
Some of the most powerful reporting on gun violence happens in the aftermath of mass tragedies, with much of the coverage capturing BMSG’s long standing recommendations for covering the issue accurately and thoroughly. Increasingly, we are seeing reporters show how violence is a public health issue, center the victims and their families rather than the perpetrator, quote a broader range of sources beyond strictly law enforcement, bring racial inequities to the fore, and elevate possible solutions.
The challenge is to keep the conversation going after the news cycle moves on, as it usually does within as little as a week. But how can journalists sustain their momentum in an age of inadequate resources, newsroom cuts, and an abundance of other threats to health, which also deserve news attention?
We commend the many media organizations that have already pledged to cover gun violence more consistently and comprehensively so that the public and policymakers understand not just mass shootings but also more common forms of firearm deaths, like suicide, the underlying causes of violence, and community-based solutions.
Still, we have a long way to go. The average news consumer can likely recall the names of high-profile mass shooting sites, but can they name a successful violence intervention or prevention program that has successfully reduced assaults involving firearms? Do they recognize connections across issues and realize how frequently domestic violence precedes extreme acts of violence like the Uvalde shooting? Do they know that there is widespread support for reform? And perhaps more importantly, do they believe change is possible?
After all, no amount of data or context can move the needle of social change if dominant news narratives convey a sense of doom and leave us feeling paralyzed. To make progress, it’s critical to reframe the conversation from one of fatalism to one of hope, while still acknowledging the deep pain and harm that many are suffering. Take the Parkland shooting, for example. Thanks in large part to outspoken, social media savvy young activists, news stories often featured images that captured courage and resistance. Imagine if this were the norm.
How different might it feel if we more frequently saw visuals and heard messages not only of trauma but of resilience and healing? What kind of coverage might inspire you to take action or, if you are already working in this space but feeling worn down, to keep going? What would need to change? What would you want to see more of? Whose voices would you want to hear from?
Stories from those who have been personally affected by an issue often resonate more powerfully and can do more than statistics alone in changing hearts and minds. Columbine survivors are among those who have firsthand experience with violence and are now sending their own children to school; some have publicly shared their lifelong struggles to grapple with grief and fear. Understanding and dealing with that grief can move audiences and empower survivors to channel their anguish into advocacy. The media should elevate what that process looks like.
Ending the problem of gun violence is beyond the scope of the media alone. However, messages that get repeated regularly tend to stick. Why not make sure that those messages include hope? We can’t undo the carnage of the past days or weeks or years, but we can write a new future, one story at a time.