Framed!
- Candice Brew
- Oct 7, 2014
- 1 min read
Like different vantage points, stories can be framed in different ways.
Accountings of the natural gas boom in Texas exemplify this perfectly.
Take Big Oil, Bad Air for example. This piece by Jim Morris, Lisa Song and David Hasemyer explored the environmental effects of gas extractions.
"Depending on the speed and direction of the wind, a yellow-brown haze might stretch across the horizon, filling the car with pungent odors," the article reads. "Sometimes Buehring’s eyes burn, her chest tightens and pain stabs at her temples."
Not only is the story heavy with anecdotes, such as Texas couple Lynn and Shelby Buehring's leisurly afternoons being interrupted by gas fumes, but photography used in the piece helped frame the story as well.
Images of smiles were no where to be found in the 16-page article:
Source: Lance Rosenfield
Source: Lance Rosenfield
Source: Lance Rosenfield
Each element of this story contributed to a somber, aruably negative view of the gas boom.
On the other hand, Bryan Mealer's coverage of the boom speaks another language.
The title, "Y'all Smell That? That's the Smell of Money" automatically sets a comparatively light-hearted tone.
The 26-page piece recounts the son of an oil tycoon's life, from rags to riches. From colorful anecdotes—such as a deliveryman telling the narrator, "Watch your cartoons in color now, kiddo"—to gas-related advertisements, the story speaks "pro-gas boom" more so than its Bad Air counterpart.
One event, two stories, two points of view. This is an example of how framing can shed different lights on a single issue.
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