Framing Red is an informative project which tackles media framing regarding news about red-tagging. It aims to inform audiences about responsible, ethical journalism practices, the dangers of red-tagging, and how the media plays a big role on how the audience perceives the subject of red-tagging.
The goal is to help viewers understand what goes behind the news they consume. From selecting stories to publishing them, Framing Red aims to familiarize people with the concept of media framing. The project encourages readers to “see through the frame” and analyze how news outlets use framing devices to deliver information the public needs.
The visual identity behind Framing Red consists of three major design elements: redacted lines, picture frames, and, of course, the color red.
Thick marker strokes are often used when redacting information from documents. As such, they serve as framing devices, controlling what information is made available and what information isn't. Ironically enough, these marks can also highlight the act of redaction itself, asking readers to read between the lines of what is reported.
The use of picture frames, from a metaphorical standpoint, help convey how a news story’s angle can influence how people perceive certain information. Mixing those with a few digital elements, such as cursors and news screenshots, give the idea that media framing and news, whether online or offline, affect real-world happenings.
Lastly, the color red pretty much speaks for itself. It's the color attributed to victims of red-tagging, who are baselessly likened to "terrorists" and "communists." The color red highlights how dangerous red-tagging is—and how much blood has already spilled from it.
The first major component of Framing Red is Inside the Newsroom, a three-episode mini docuseries taking a peek behind the process of news writing, how outlets cover red-tagging news, and the state of journalism in the Philippines today.
This series also features journalists working in known publications and academics knowledgeable within the realm of journalism, such as Luis Teodoro from the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR), DJ Yap from the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Jen Aquino from Probe Productions, and more.
View the mini docuseries here.
The second component of Framing Red is BYLINE: The Journalistic Elements in Red-tagging Coverage, an educational zine about the elements of journalism, ethical journalism practices, media framing, red-tagging, and more.
Read the interactive zine here.
