Bullets and Bulletins

Abstract

This chapter investigates the political and media contestations over the meaning of two major events. The first was the ousting of President Morsi, and the events that followed, particularly the violent interaction between the Egyptian military and security forces, on the one hand, and Muslim Brotherhood members and their supporters, on the other. The second event was the violent evacuation of the Rabaa al-Adawiya and Nahda encampments on 14 August 2013. Beginning with a theoretical understanding of the role of framing in political conflict, this chapter examines framing as a process that is highly dependent on the interaction between politicians and the media. The chapter then sheds light on the framing of political Islam in the media, especially as it relates to positive or negative representations of the Muslim Brotherhood and their opposition. The Egyptian media scene and the Arab news media are discussed as the context against which media polarization is apparent in the frames selected by several media channels. Finally, the chapter explores the ways in which the various media reported the events, and examines the efforts exerted by politicians to wield influence over media content in their attempt to win public sympathy and legitimize their actions.