Framing
Choosing the terms on which an issue is debated.
Short answer
What is Framing?
Framing is the selection of which aspects of an issue to emphasise, shaping how audiences interpret it. Whoever establishes the frame usually determines who wins the argument, independent of the underlying facts.
Definition
Framing is the selection of which aspects of an issue to emphasise, shaping how audiences interpret it. Whoever establishes the frame usually determines who wins the argument, independent of the underlying facts.
Why It Matters
Campaigns that argue inside their opponent’s frame lose even when their facts are better. Establishing your own frame early is cheaper than displacing an established one later.
Example in Indian Elections
A debate framed as "cost of a project" and one framed as "value delivered by a project" produce different public conclusions from identical figures.
Related Terms
- Message ArchitectureThe structured hierarchy of a campaign’s core promise and supporting arguments.
- BridgingAnswering a hostile question honestly and returning to your message.
- Rapid ResponseThe capability to detect, verify and answer an attack within hours.
- SurrogateAn authorised supporter who carries the campaign message publicly.
- Polling BoothThe individual polling station where a defined group of voters casts their votes.
- Form 20The statutory ECI document publishing booth-wise vote counts after a poll.