The article examines media coverage of the “Fotopub Affair” in Slovenia. The affair emerged in August 2022 when an Instagram profile moderated by anonymous person(s) began posting allegations of sexual and psychological violence of Dušan Smodej, curator and cultural manager active inside the Slovenian cultural and artistic scene. This profile quickly gained traction as several individuals came forward with similar stories. Roman Uranjek, a prominent Slovenian artist, was also implicated in the affair, and took his own life after the scandal broke, further intensifying the media frenzy. The study focused on the media reporting on the affair. Due to limitations in accessing social media data, the study focused only on digital news media, analyzing coverage from 14 major Slovenian outlets. A total of 334 articles were examined using text mining techniques, such as word frequency analysis, bag of words and document embedding, to assess how the language in the media evolved over time and how diverse it was (in different media). This approach was combined with frame analysis. In addition, we conducted a document analysis of the main self-regulatory guidelines for the reporting in cases of violence on women and suicide and compared normative standards with actual reporting in the affair. The analysis highlighted how the media’s attention shifted from the initial allegations to broader political implications, with coverage peaking in sensationalist outlets and declining as the official investigation progressed. Some media focused on legal procedures and objective reporting, often ignoring personal experiences and victim narratives. Sensationalist and right-wing outlets, on the other hand, emphasized mainly drug use, sexual deviance, and political corruption.Through clustering analysis and the creation of word clouds, the study revealed distinct differences in how these outlets framed the story. The study found that media reporting clustered into three main categories: 1.) Objective Journalism – Outlets like MMC and N1 focused on factual reporting and development of police investigation, relying on official statements and verified information. 2.) Sensationalist and Tabloid Reporting – Media like Slovenske novice and Metropolitan prioritized detailed descriptions and reproduced the debates on social media, often amplifying the most scandalous aspects of the affair. 3.) Politicized Reporting – outlets like Demokracija and Nova24 framed the affair as evidence of corruption among the liberal political and cultural “elite”, using the scandal to push a broader right-wing political agenda. Based on the text mining approaches and frame analysis, the study identified several key frames used by the media in covering the Fotopub affair: 1.) Frame of Police Investigation and Legal Procedure: This frame focused on the official investigation, criminal charges, and legal procedures. It emphasized facts and procedural developments, contributing to a more neutral and restrained narrative. 2.) Frame of Victim’s Experience: This frame centred on the personal stories of the victims, highlighting the emotional and psychological toll of the abuse. While some outlets used this frame to sensitively portray the victims’ experiences, others sensationalized these narratives, focusing on shocking or salacious details. 3.) Frame of Providing Help for the Victim: Some media emphasized the need for societal support for victims, focusing on the work of NGOs and support organizations. This frame was less common but offered a more constructive approach to the scandal. 4.) Frame of Sensationalism and Moral Judgment: Tabloid and right-wing outlets often adopted this frame, focusing on deviant behaviour and portraying the affair as symptomatic of societal decadence. This frame was characterized by a moralizing tone and sensational language. 5.) Frame of Politicization and Power of Elites: Right-wing media used this frame to politicize the scandal, suggesting that Slovenia’s cultural and political elites were complicit in or benefited from the abuse. This frame was often speculative and aligned with broader conservative critiques of the left-leaning establishment. 6.) Frame indicating concrete networks and connections: Most present in the right-wing media, but also in some other media, indicated by the use of proper names of individuals and organisations. The appearance of those names in the context of the Fotopub affair was used mainly as a means of political delegitimation. The article offers a case study of how sensitive topics like violence against women can be distorted by media coverage, particularly in a polarized and sensationalized online environment. The affair also exposed the challenges of maintaining ethical journalism in the face of the attention economy. As the media landscape becomes increasingly fragmented and driven by clicks and shares, the Fotopub affair underscores the need for responsible reporting that prioritizes the voices of victims, avoids sensationalism, and resists the temptation to politicize sensitive issues. In the end, the Fotopub affair remains a cautionary tale about the power of media framing especially in an era where social media and traditional media increasingly intersect to shape public opinion.
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