Thematic News Format

A format that both news media and news reporting can be described as having.

In terms of news media, thematic television and radio stations are those that carry only a specific type of program, such as sports, cartoons, or cooking programs. Thematic news channels provide continual news coverage—for example, CNN, Fox News Channel, Al-Jazeera. Rather than broadcasting a range of program ming, such channels engage in “narrowcasting”— concentrating on a narrow range of program content.

News reporting can also be described as having a thematic format. This refers to news stories being presented in “frames” to define the context for the audience. Framing can be categorized as either episodic or thematic. Episodic framing focuses on a particular [Page 517]case or event, while a thematic frame adds a broader context and presents the story within a broader political or sociological framework.