Framing matters The framing effect is a topic that comes up a lot these days. Framing is the phenomenon whereby the same message is perceived differently, depending on what additional information is sent with it. The additional information is provided to give the message the right ‘frame’ so that recipients respond appropriately. Even if the additional information is undoubtedly true, the recipient can be genuinely manipulated by framing, simply by the selection of details that are in themselves factually correct. Framing is, of course, used in advertising, but its role in political reporting has become something of a hot topic