Throughout the articles themes of surviving and overcoming homelessness, as well as efforts to lessen homelessness, were seen. While there can be a range of opinions within one news media site, there were commonalities throughout. The Fox News articles were the most critical regarding homelessness, focusing less on efforts to end homelessness and focusing more on the ongoing issues related to homeless individuals. There was an instance in which Fox News wanted to promote a happy story regarding homelessess, in which they focused on a young boy who grew successful at chess throughout his time at a homeless shelter. This story is a typical feel-good story you often see within the news, however it is interesting to see how they use homelessness to tell the story. While it is not the entire focus of the story, the author made sure to mention how Tanitoluwa Adewumi and his family were living in a homeless shelter once they arrived as refugees in America from Nigeria. They also mentioned how a fundraiser was publicly made for the family, providing them with $254,000 for a home. Instead of solely focusing on the successes of this young boy, the author included his difficulties regarding housing as he learned to play, almost displaying his talents in contrast to his housing situation. The author saw this hardworking, talented child as deserving to be celebrated and deserving of a home, of which he could only afford due to the donations of strangers. Contrasted to the numerous stories of homeless criminals from Fox News, this feel good story felt like a one-off, special situation in which a formerly homeless individual deserves to be celebrated.
Annotated Word Cloud of Fox News Articles
Reuters articles also touched on the end of homelessness, focusing mostly on legislation and policies that could work to help unhoused individuals from their situations. While many organizations and activists were interviewed throughout the Reuters articles, one that I found interesting was regarding the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s efforts to speed funds to help homeless individuals. The fund was made to assist the lowest of income households throughout the pandemic. I think the focus on low-income households is interesting since the homeowners are not currently unhoused and are not yet facing homelessness. This article shows how policy can be aimed towards only certain groups, in this case the lowest income households, but also shows efforts to prevent homelessness (Shalal 2021). While focusing on efforts to prevent homelessness, Reuters stands to support individuals at risk, as well as those currently struggling with being unhoused. Stories were not limited to one lucky unhoused individual but rather focused on how efforts need to be made before one even becomes homeless.
Annotated Word Cloud of Reuters Articles
CNN articles also focused on ending homelessness, but once again for more individuals than one special story. Similar to Reuters, CNN happened to focus on legislation and policy changes that could potentially aid in reducing homelessness, but they also focused on stories of people personally working to help the unhoused. An example of this can be seen in a story regarding a car dealer who allows unhoused individuals to safely park their vehicles in his lot overnight. Lee (2020) wrote, “his heart goes out to them because he also was in a similar situation with his wife and six children a few years ago.” Due to his personal connection and relation to the issue of homelessness, Charles felt as if he ought to do something to help other individuals struggling with being unhoused since he had the facilities to make a difference. This framing of the issue of homelessness focuses on the efforts of the community to make a difference, rather than depending on policy to improve conditions. This framing sees all those who struggle as worthy of improved conditions, however it places the expectation to address the issue upon individuals within a community. While there may not be a clear and definitive way to aid in the end of homelessness, each of the media sites displayed their thoughts regarding the issue through the stories they felt deserved to be told.