What best characterizes gatekeeping in news coverage?

• A. Gatekeeping selects what gets covered; framing shapes interpretation.
• B. Gatekeeping shapes interpretation; framing selects topics.
• C. Framing selects what gets covered; gatekeeping shapes interpretation.
• D. Gatekeeping and framing are the same thing.

Answer: (A)

Gatekeeping is the editor’s control over what information actually makes it into the news. It’s about decision-making—deciding which events, topics, and voices are covered and which are left out. Framing, on the other hand, is about how that covered material is presented—the angle, emphasis, context, and language that shape how people understand the story. So the best characterization is that gatekeeping selects what gets covered, and framing shapes interpretation. The other descriptions mix up the roles or treat them as the same process, which isn’t accurate. For example, you can choose to cover a protest (gatekeeping) and then frame it to highlight peaceful conduct or potential violence (framing), which shows how the two processes work together but serve different functions.