Dominant subtleties: A study of the subjective uses of photograph cutlines to frame terrorists in 'Time' magazine

Using Time magazine, this study aims to assess how the editors of the publication portrayed terrorists through the wording of the photograph cutlines, or captions, and whether or not the outline format changed throughout the publication period studied (March 23, 1923 to the last September 2001 issue). All 57 cutlines in the data set were analyzed using an adapted version of Spillman and Spillman's (1997) Enemy-Image Syndrome Model, which looks at how perceptions are gained about potential enemies. The results reveal that the Time cutlines portrayed and maintained terrorists as "other" by withholding information either intentionally or unintentionally that could help readers understand terrorists' backgrounds and motivations. In addition, the cutlines' language became increasingly accusatory throughout the duration of the publication period, indicating that perhaps, cutlines began being seen as design opportunities to maintain media control by amplifying the threat the terrorists posed.