This study examined print news media coverage of the USA PATRIOT Act before it was passed into law. Seventeen publications, including fourteen top-30-circulation newspapers and three news magazines were selected to represent American print news media. This three-part content analysis examined:
1. Sourcing: The use of sources in news stories through direct and indirect quotation. The incidence, opinion, direct quotation, and prominence of various sources were analyzed to compare the use of government and non-governmental sources in the coverage.
2. Framing: The aspects of the legislation that were highlighted by the coverage, and the aspects of the legislation that were overlooked or underplayed. The most frequently used frames of coverage were counterterrorism, government powers, civil liberties, privacy, and non-citizen issues.
3. Editorial treatment: The tone (supportive, critical/cautionary, or mixed/ambiguous) of the editorials was examined overall, and over time. The framing of the issue in editorial coverage was studied and contrasted with the overall framing trends in coverage.