Sandy Hook Video Game Secondary Reporting

The findings for Sandy Hook were more complex than Columbine. While liberal newspapers were in agreement about guns being the main reason for the school shooting and defending video games, conservative newspapers did not have the same level of agreement.

The NYP reported video games in a similar manner as it did during the Columbine school shooting, while the CT defended video games and condemned guns. Likewise, neutral WSJ had still remained neutral, albeit in a different way to it had during the Columbine shooting.

The reporting for Sandy Hook did show that news reporting had changed from 1999 to 2012/13.

4.3.1.1 Liberal Defending of Video Games Vs Significant Reason of Guns

Video games were defended in liberal Sandy Hook reporting. During the Columbine reporting, video games were speculated to have been a factor in the school shooting.

However, in Sandy Hook, video games are defended against, and even when they were reported in a negative manner, this is only done by pundits from the NRA that were trying to offset blame for guns, which liberal reporting was critical of:

"There exists in this country a callous, corrupt and corrupting shadow industry that sells, and sows, violence against its own people -- through vicious, violent video games with names like 'Bulletstorm,' 'Grand Theft Auto,' 'Mortal Kombat' and 'Splatterhouse,' "

NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre said Friday in Washington…” Zak (2012, Dec 22)

“... many researchers are skeptical that there is a direct link between violent media and aggression in viewers. Violent-crime offenses decreased about 20 percent from 1998 to 2011, according to the FBI, while video game sales more than tripled, to $16.6 billion last year, according to the Entertainment Software Association.” Zak (2012, Dec 22)

The blame of video games as a reason for the Sandy Hook school shooting comes from the National Rifle Association. In other cases, video games were mentioned by the NRA, but this was secondary reporting to greater reporting on the issue of guns. Ultimately, guns were the major reporting, with video games only be tacked onto reports mostly because they were mentioned by the NRA, and not because newspapers were interested in reporting on them.

“After a weeklong silence, the National Rifle Association announced Friday that it wants to arm security officers at every school in the country. It pointed the finger at violent video games, the news media and lax law enforcement -- not guns -- as culprits in the recent rash of mass shootings.” Lichtblau & Rich (2012, Dec 22)

In this reporting, video games were defended by liberal newspapers directly with expert opinions or indirectly by reporting mostly on the issue of guns which offset the reason of video games because the reporting was structured in such a way that mentioning video games was seen as an avoidance of discussing gun control.

Video games were raised as condemnation from gun supporters. Video games were only raised as a reactionary voice from the gun owners. Guns were the main issue, while video games were supplemental and reactionary to the NRA.

4.3.1.2 Conservative Reason of Video Games

The NYP and CT were still in agreement as to video games being a reason for the school shooting. The same type of reporting from Columbine was present in Sandy Hook, in that video games were supplemental reporting that were often bunched with other issues, but in general, the reporting still discussed the issue of video games.

“One of the sources said that Lanza used the computer to play a violent video game in which lifelike characters engage in graphic battle scenes.” Mahony & Altimari (2012, Dec 16)

Video games still received a significant amount of reporting, even if it was secondary to other issues such as guns and mental health. Palmeri, et al. (2012, Dec 19) reporting placed video games as a reason.

“For hours on end, alone in his windowless basement den, Adam Lanza studied photos of guns and obliterated virtual victims in violent video games - until the virtual became a reality. The unhinged Sandy Hook Elementary School gunman was enthralled by blood-splattering, shoot-'em-up electronic games…” Palmeri, et al. (2012, Dec 19)

Liberal media reported on the NRA as the main determinants as to whether or not they would report on the issue of video games, the NYP reported on video games without such an input.

“He used only 15 bullets in one 30-round clip before tossing it to the floor and pulling out another magazine that was fully loaded, sources said. The obsessive changing of clips may have stemmed from Lanza's playing of violent video games, sources said.

Experienced gamers typically won't enter a "room" or "building" without having fully loaded weapons so that they're never caught without enough ammo.” Sheehy, K. (2013, Jan 08)

Video games were also reported with expert sources discussing how video games and pop culture were more to blame at the heart of the issue of school shootings than guns.

"I don't believe it's a root cause, but it's a contributing factor," she told the paper. California-based psychiatrist Carole Lieberman, a vocal opponent of violent video games, is on board with the boy's idea. "Instead of banning guns, we need to ban violent video games," said Dr. Lieberman, who has testified in Congress against violence in pop culture.” Oliveira (2012, Dec 22)

The reporting and style of Sandy Hook was similar to Columbine, and there is a mixture of video games being secondary reporting and a focus. Although the level of reporting of video games as a reason for school shootings has reduced, as seen in the difference reporting between 1999 and 2012/13 in figures 4, 13 and 15, the conservative newspapers still report on video games as a reason for the school shooting.

4.3.1.3 Neutral Secondary Reasons Guns and Video Games

Video games were almost non-existent in the reporting, albeit for a few small

supplemental sections. Guns, however, were seen as the main focus of newspaper reporting from the WSJ. There were times when the two reasons came together as shown below:

“Elected officials argued Sunday over how to prevent mass shootings like the one at an elementary school in Connecticut, with some calling for stricter gun controls and others arguing the restrictions don't prevent such tragedies. Some questioned whether

videogames and graphically violent Hollywood movies should be limited…” Fields, Devlin & Favole (2012, Dec 17)

“Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D., Calif.), speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press," said that on the first day of the new Congress next year, she would introduce legislation to ban assault weapons to, as she put it, get "weapons of war off our streets." Fields, Devlin & Favole (2012, Dec 17)

In this article, video games were speculated to need further studies, and guns were said to need further gun controls.

“Mr. Lieberman also called on the entertainment industry to re-evaluate the images and messages it puts forward through violence in movies and videogames. "I think we need a national commission on mass violence," Field., Devlin & Favole (2012, Dec 17)

Mr. Lieberman, who supported the 1994 law that banned assault weapons, said changes to the law might not prevent all incidents but data showed "the stronger our gun-control laws are the fewer acts of mass violence will happen in society." Field., Devlin & Favole (2012, Dec 17)

The Sandy Hook WJS was not as neutral as it once was. Instead of being aligned with conservative or liberal leanings, it sides with both, condemning both video games and guns alike, with a heavier emphasis on guns. There was a change in the style of reporting, from solely reporting the facts, and not views, to mostly reporting views, and not many facts. The WJS is still not aligned to either conservative or liberal leanings in a holistic way, it does share similarities with many of them, but the style of reporting has still changed.

“It was inevitable that last Friday's tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School would lead quickly to blame-laying and debate that extended far beyond the 20-year-old who perpetrated the massacre. The mental-health system, the regulation of guns, and a culture soaked in bloody video games and movies all came in for understandable scrutiny.”

Feith (2012, Dec 21)

The reporting for Sandy Hook was still “neutral” when compared to the liberal and conservative newspapers, but not in the same tone or style as Columbine. It reported guns and video games as reasons, but did not pick sides.