Weekly Media Emotional Framing Analysis – Sep 8–13, 2025

Introduction

This week’s Emotional Framing Analysis examines how Fox News, CNN, and NPR shaped coverage of the Charlie Kirk assassination, Trump’s responses, immigration crackdowns, and international tensions. Using our quadrant framework (Negative ↔ Positive, Reactive ↔ Reflective), we mapped how each outlet positioned itself emotionally. We then compared results with Grok and Gemini, two other AI evaluators, to deepen perspective.

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Step 1: Overlapping Stories

Top Shared Stories:

1. Charlie Kirk assassination and aftermath
2. Trump’s response (death penalty call, National Guard deployments, “radical-left” rhetoric)
3. Immigration enforcement crackdowns (ICE raids, sanctuary city standoffs)
4. NATO/Poland drone incident
5. Israel airstrike in Doha
6. 9/11 anniversary

Non-Overlaps:

• Fox News: Culture-war flashpoints, Hunter Biden allegations, crime stories tied to immigration.
• CNN: Institutional accountability — tariffs, Secret Service, Afghanistan withdrawal reports.
• NPR: Global/human-interest angles — AI and teens, French protests, science discoveries.

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Step 2: Emotional Framing

Story	Fox News	CNN	NPR
Charlie Kirk assassination	Anger, Distrust (5) → blame “radical left”	Concern, Empathy (4) → political violence context	Concern, Reflection (3–4) → sober, systemic framing
Trump’s response	Reassurance, Pride (5) → Trump as defender	Anger, Concern (4) → divisive rhetoric	Analytical (5) → legality, precedent
Immigration crackdowns	Reassurance, Anger (4) → protection vs. threats	Empathy, Concern (4) → migrant fear, overreach	Empathy, Reflection (3) → community-level impacts
NATO/Poland drone	Fear, Pride (3–4) → aggression, need strength	Concern, Fear (4) → NATO unity tested	Neutral/Analytical (3–4) → historical frame
Israel airstrike in Doha	Reassurance, Pride (4–5) → decisive Israel	Concern, Fear (4–5) → escalation risks	Analytical, Concern (3–4) → regional implications
9/11 anniversary	Pride, Empathy (4–5) → resilience, remembrance	Reflection, Concern (3–4) → lasting impact	Reflection, Empathy (4–5) → personal stories

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Step 3: Intended Audience Response

• Fox News: Wanted audiences to feel outraged at liberal/media opponents, prideful about Trump/Israel resilience, and reassured that conservatives will prevail.
• CNN: Encouraged audiences to feel concerned about systemic risks, empathetic toward victims/migrants, and skeptical of Trump’s rhetoric.
• NPR: Guided audiences toward thoughtful concern, empathetic reflection, and critical thinking about democratic and global institutions.

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Step 4: Non-Overlaps

Outlet	Story	Emotional Purpose
Fox	Hunter Biden feud, vigil violence, culture wars	Mobilize anger and defensiveness, reinforce identity
CNN	Tariffs, Secret Service scandal, institutional deep dives	Foster concern and accountability, elevate governance debates
NPR	AI/teens, global protests, science features	Foster curiosity and reflection, broaden beyond partisan conflict

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Step 5: Quadrant Mapping

Centers of Gravity (Sep 8–13, 2025):

• Fox News → (-0.6, 0.3): Negative/Reactive (anger + reassurance)
• CNN → (-0.5, 0.6): Negative/Reflective (concern + skepticism)
• NPR → (-0.4, 0.8): Reflective/Analytical (empathetic, thoughtful)

Movement Map:

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Step 6: Comparative Perspectives

Gemini’s Findings:

• Fox News: Negative/Reactive → outrage, fear, mobilization.
• CNN: Negative/Reflective → concern, critical thinking.
• NPR: Reflective/Neutral → calm, curiosity, balance.

Grok’s Findings:

• Fox News: Negative/Reactive + Pride → Kirk as martyr, Trump as defender.
• CNN: Negative/Reflective → systemic critique, empathy, concern.
• NPR: Negative/Reflective + Positive → empathy, remembrance, global curiosity.

Cross-AI Comparison:

• Fox: All agree Fox combines outrage and pride to mobilize its base.
• CNN: All note CNN leans reflective, though Grok highlights anger at Trump’s rhetoric more than Gemini does.
• NPR: Universally framed as reflective, empathetic, and analytical.

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Conclusion

This week, Fox News channeled anger, outrage, and pride, presenting Trump and conservative allies as defenders against left-wing aggression. CNN stressed concern and reflection, urging accountability and systemic awareness. NPR prioritized empathy and critical analysis, keeping focus on thoughtful engagement and global context.

The quadrant map shows outlets remain locked in distinct emotional ecosystems: Fox reactive, CNN reflective but alarmed, NPR thoughtful and analytical. Cross-checking with Grok and Gemini confirms the divide — three models, one conclusion: Americans are being guided to feel very different emotional truths depending on where they turn for news.