Anti-Asian Hate Crime in U.S. National News: A Content Analysis of Coverage and Narratives from 2010–2021

Abstract

Research on the media's portrayal of Asian American crime victims has largely entailed content analyses of specific high-profile cases, partly because Asian Americans have been largely ignored in the media. The current study examines national news coverage (2010–2021) of both specific anti-Asian hate crime incidents as well as articles that discuss the rise in hate crime against the Asian American community. We also include anti-Hispanic hate crime articles over the same time period as a comparison group. In doing so, we examine the extent of coverage, portrayals of victims and perpetrators, including stereotypes of Asian Americans, and how the incidents are situated in a larger context of violence against racial minorities. While there were similarities between the groups in the media narratives, such as the offender's race rarely being mentioned, there were notable differences as well. For example, articles on Asian Americans were more likely to portray hate crime as a new phenomenon, but also more likely to include quotes from victims and/or their families. The findings have implications for the media's role in shaping the social consequences of pandemics.