Trayvon Martin: A Story of Media Escalation in 5 Acts

illustration by Lyla Duey | lyladuey.com

Trayvon Martin Media Ecosystem

Act I: Not a StoryTrigger: Feb 26—Trayvon Martin killed

Feb 27—MyFOXOrlando broadcasts first local news coverage

Mar 2—Miami Herald, in an article later retracted for errors, is first to publish George Zimmerman, Trayvon’s killer’s name

Mar 5—Trayvon’s parents hire lawyer Benjamin Crump, who starts working pro bono to publicize Trayvon’s case to the press and civil rights activists

Act II: Building PressureTrigger: Mar 7—First national press

(Reuters)

Mar 8—CBS Morning News runs the story on TV, then Huffington Post picks it up and begins regular coverage

Mar 7—Reuters publishes first national news story with quotes from Crump suggesting racial profiling

Act III: Attention SkyrocketsTrigger: Mar 16—Police release 911 tapes

Mar 16—Police release tapes of Zimmerman’s 911 calls on night of killing

Mar 21—Million Hoodie March takes place in New York City

Mar 22—Rally organized by Rev. Al Sharpton, one of Crump’s contacts, draws thousands to demonstrate for Zimmerman’s arrest in Sanford, FL

Act IV: Political Agenda WarsTrigger: Mar 23—Obama addresses the

case

Mar 26—Trayvon’s family deliver 2 million Change.org petition signatures to local law enforcement

Mar 28—Activists launch campaign against ALEC, a supporter of ‘Stand your Ground’ laws, by leveraging Trayvon’s death

Act IV: Political Agenda WarsThe Left against ALEC and ‘Stand your

Ground’ laws

Act IV: Political Agenda WarsThe Right against blame-free portrayal of

Trayvon

Act V: Tabloid Court CaseTrigger: Apr 11—Zimmerman charged and

arrested

Apr 20—Drudge Report links to story of a young, black Chicagoan claiming to beat up a white man out of anger over Trayvon case

Apr 23—The Tallahassee Democrat runs a flattering piece on Crump, detailing his publicity efforts, which he republishes on his site

Trayvon Martin Media Ecosystem