Research In Depth News Magazine Coverage of the Petraeus/Broadwell Affair: The Disjunction between Power and Agency

By Tetyana Lokot, Antonio Prado, become more likely to think that off-hours morality Boya Xu, and Linda Steiner and marital infidelity are relevant to the career as- sessment of those political figures, potentially forc- All four authors are in the Philip Merrill College of Jour- ing the resignation or firing of a scandalous figure. nalism at the University of Maryland. No wonder, then, that the extramarital affair be- tween General David Petraeus (Ret), then Director Tetyana Lokot is a doctoral candidate whose research inter- of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and his ests include augmented dissent and the use of digital me- biographer Paula Broadwell aracted significant dia and social networks in protests in post-Soviet coun- media aention in November and December 2012, tries. dominating front pages and leading broadcast news shows. Admiing his sexual relationship with Antonio Prado is a doctoral candidate whose research in- Broadwell, Petraeus resigned as the CIA Director terests include collective contemplation enabled by con- aer major FBI investigations. temporary communications technology, news portrayals of The FBI and Justice Department recom- people with disabilities, and convergence culture. mended bringing felony charges against Petraeus, saying that while CIA director, he provided classi- Boya Xu is a doctoral candidate whose research interests fied information to Broadwell, whom the New York include media effects, audience studies, public sphere in Times described as his lover and mistress. Ultimate- the digital era, and political communication. ly, Petraeus was convicted of non-felony mishan- dling of classified materials. He was sentenced to Dr. Linda Steiner is a Professor of Journalism whose re- two years’ probation and fined $100,000. search interests include the news potential of emerging In this case, as with most high profile sexu- media technologies, alternative media, and gender and al scandals, the man had much more power and sta- feminist issues in the media. She is author, co-author, or tus than the woman. Usually this results in the man co-editor of six books. being held wholly responsible for the affair and the “other party” regarded as a pawn, if not a victim. What made the Petraeus/Broadwell scandal notable This examination of three U.S. news magazines’ and worthy of research is that most journalists made coverage of the David Petraeus/Paula Broadwell scandal of Broadwell the party responsible for the affair. Pet- 2012 finds discrepancies and disjunctures regarding gen- raeus was largely portrayed as a military hero, but der, power and agency. having lile active agency in terms of the affair. We follow Thompson’s (2000) definition of In the United States, citizens and therefore scandal as involving transgression of particular val- journalists have always been interested in scandals ues, norms, or moral codes, and shrouded in secre- involving political and military figures. Journalists cy; disapproved of by non-participants and de- have paid increasing aention to high profile sexual nounced by the public; and damaging the reputa- scandals over the last several decades; journalists are tions of the individuals involved. Inherent in the spending more time investigating rumor and editors notion of scandal is that the misconduct of the per- are willing to publish what they come up with. Scan- son understood to be the causal agent gets public dals can undermine trust in individual leaders, moral condemnation and some kind of remedy is affecting their short- and long-term careers and lega- debated or even demanded (Entman 2012). cy. Our study of the media coverage of this Media exposures of scandals can also affect scandal begins with the assumption that scandaliza- the credibility and effectiveness of systems and struc- tion is a powerful element in public controversies. tures more generally; they can “prime” public opin- Scandals can generate outrage or anger, frequently ion so that, at least hypothetically, news audiences forcing political actors to resign; more specifically, reading about sex scandals involving political figures the type, amount, and completeness of news cover- age influences citizens’ evaluations of politicians,

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parties, and even the entire political system. With The major news magazines in the U.S., these scandals nearly all of the aention focuses on high- three weeklies have long enjoyed prestige and status. power figures, including on the consequences of They offer broad summaries—oen with greater the scandal for that elite actor. The power of news depth and context—of major stories; as weeklies they media to influence public understanding of issues can address issues more thoroughly than dailies, should not be overstated, especially when coverage “distilling the results in a narrative reflecting the is highly consistent across media outlets. Aer all, principle themes in the news” (Entman 1991). as much as journalists try to The purpose of ana- outsmart political figures, lyzing the major stories in the government officials, and three magazines in the 6- military brass, those sources/ week period aer Petraeus’ subjects work hard to get resignation was announced favorable coverage (Entman was to assess how journalists 2012) and to avoid negative in these magazines made scrutiny, through spin, stone- meaning of the affair and walling, and other strategies how they contextualized and for granting or withholding explained it; we especially of information. But neither sought to understand the should journalists’ profes- roles and responsibility as- sional choices be ignored. cribed to Petraeus and Word selection and other Broadwell in and for the journalistic strategies de- affair. We examined the ployed in covering the Pet- terms used to describe both raeus/Broadwell scandal not Petraeus and Broadwell; the only help illustrate how gen- dominant themes of the story der and power were contexts; who was assigned “framed” by journalists but also how news audi- blame and agency in the affair; and how the broader ences are taught to understand gender politics and impact of the scandal was explained. We assumed gender power. that journalists’ “frames” provide a central idea or story line that helps create meaning for an unfolding Method set of events; frames help journalists organize their coverage (to identify and classify information) and This study evaluates feature articles about help audiences understand the issues (Scheufele, the Petraeus/Broadwell scandal found in 1999). Through framing, journalists make some part Newsweek, Time, and U.S. News and World Re- of reality more salient, in a way that effectively pro- port published online from November 9 (the day motes a particular definition of a problem and how it the scandal became public knowledge) to Decem- is morally situated and interpreted (Entman, 1993). ber 30, 2012, when coverage petered out. This is Frames define problems, diagnose causes, make mor- also when, its print advertising having dropped 70 al judgments, and suggest remedies for those prob- percent in four years, the 80-year old Newsweek lems. switched to being an internet-only outlet, joining its online partner The Daily Beast. Time, published Description of Parties to the Scandal since 1923, has always been known for a light, spritely tone and an interest in celebrities. Com- The lion’s share of the headlines in all three pared to the other two, U.S. News and World Re- magazines mentioned Petraeus by name; far fewer port (it represents the long-ago merger of two mag- mentioned Broadwell. Time and U.S. News headlines azines) has historically been regarded as more con- only rarely mentioned Broadwell whether by name servative, more serious, and less interested in celeb- or in another way, though one headline, “U.S. News rities and entertainment news. We analyzed 26 Exclusive Interview: Broadwell Hailed Petraeus as Newsweek feature articles, 31 Time articles, and 21 'Relentless' Mentor During Affair,” mentioned both U.S. News and World Report articles; we excluded Broadwell and Petraeus. Newsweek, on the other columns, op-ed pieces, commentary, and articles hand, regularly identified her as his “alleged mis- that did not address the scandal as a central event. tress.” Newsweek headlines included such examples www.mediareporttowomen.com 7 Spring 2015 Media Report to Women Research In Depth as: "Paula Broadwell, David Petraeus's Biographer, is “just a really nice man, very gracious […] he’s bright, allegedly His Mistress" and "Sco Broadwell, he’s stimulating, he’s challenging, just a wonderful, 'Adventure Junkie' Husband of Alleged Petraeus Mis- all-American guy, and real credit to our nation.” In a tress." Its comparison with another high-profile scan- handful of cases, however, Petraeus was referred to dal was headlined “A Scarlet Leer—the Monica as “fallen,” “disgraced,” “General Betray Us,” Lewinsky-ing of Paula Broadwell.” “lecherous spymaster,” and a “seducer.” Most of the articles across all three magazines Broadwell faced significantly more judgmen- described Petraeus and Broadwell using terms based tal language than did Petraeus; besides “the other on their occupations or the work that defined their woman” and “mistress,” the “seductress” and professional relationship. Terms most oen used to “paramour” appeared, albeit very rarely. Winston describe Petraeus included “general” (sometimes Ross’s Newsweek story about what he called Tam- prefaced by “four star”), “CIA Director” (sometimes pa’s culture of social climbing used the word para- prefaced with “former”), “commander of Iraq and mour to refer to Broadwell. Apparently on the basis Afghanistan wars,” “former head of Central Com- of their diplomatic and social connections to the mili- mand,” “military officer,” and “West Point graduate.” tary, that same article boxed up Jill Kelley and her Terms most oen used to describe Broadwell includ- twin sister as a “flirty socialites.” Unintentionally ed “biographer,” “author,” “West Point graduate,” launching the investigation that exposed the affair, strategist,” “former Army reservist,” “highly educat- Kelley, who had served as honorary ambassador to ed political insider,” “government employee,” and the U.S. Central Command Coalition, had given the “military expert.” Over half of the pieces contained a FBI harassing emails that, it turned out, she got from detailed recap of Petraeus’ professional history in the Broadwell, who regarded her as a rival. Newsweek U.S. Army, his notable contributions to the military, women, however, quickly complained about these and his credibility with government officials. stereotypes. Without referring to Ross by name, the Newsweek descriptions oen had a respect- Pulitzer-winning fashion writer Robin Givhan (she ful tone: “top of the CIA,” “once a favorite of Republi- subsequently returned to the Washington Post) cans,” “superstar, driven, talented,” “the decorated mocked the stereotypes used for all the key players— military hero,” “a wise man of deep integrity and including the flawed heroic general and his selfless, power,” “a widely respected leader,” and “flawed but nearly saintly wife, for example. More to the point, extraordinary.” A few Newsweek pieces however, Givhan’s widely republished essay headlined described Petraeus’ professional abilities in derogato- “Petraeus Affair Stereotypes: The General, The Flirt, ry terms, mentioning the “stupidity” and and The Harlot” insisted that the stereotypes of the “carelessness” exhibited by high profile political fig- women were particularly cruel and unfair. Broadwell ures like Petraeus during scandalous events. Petraeus had become “the mistress—an old-fashioned word was described as “sloppy,” and accused of having that suggests she is some sort of kept harlot—or the “screwed up.” Moreover, he was said to be an ‘other woman.’” Isn’t Petraeus, arguably, the “other “arrogant general” who was nonetheless “supremely man”? Givhan asked, quite legitimately, although confident.” she arguably exaggerated how oen such language Some journalists described Petraeus in more was used. “Who mourns Broadwell’s reputation? value-laden terms. Most were laudatory: “one of the Will the damage be irreparable?” most respected figures in military and intelligence Kirsten Powers’ Newsweek feature, head- communities,” “one of our nation’s great bale cap- lined “In Petraeus Scandal, the Old ‘Blame the Wom- tains,” “one of the most powerful men in the world,” an’ Strategy,” stood up for Broadwell even more vig- “remarkable human being,” “one of the administra- orously. Rejecting a military friend’s description of tion’s stars,” “superstar, driven, talented,” “the deco- Petraeus “as his biographer’s helpless boy toy,” as rated military hero,” “a wise man of deep integrity well as the sickening sexism she had seen on “Slate” and power,” “a widely respected leader,” “down to and “The Daily Show,” Powers condemned “the bla- earth, despite having a Ph.D.,” and “flawed but ex- tant and seemingly unending sexist character assassi- traordinary.” Furthermore, in U.S. News journalists nation” of Broadwell. “Guileless general meets bare- also quoted sources who praised Petraeus’ military armed seductress” was her bier summation of the and human qualities, calling him “a great American sexist smearing of Broadwell. hero,” “a man of great courage and service, com- Several Newsweek stories focused on mied to his job,” “very human kind of individual,” Broadwell’s personal background and history with

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the military, praising her physique as “tall and stun- “adventure and exercise junkie” who had lile to do with ning,” “an avid athlete,” “a fitness fanatic,” and “an the military except for conducting research on medical adventure junkie.” Even more value-laden descrip- treatment of veterans. tions in a handful of articles combined her physical Several articles used explicitly gendered frames, appearance, marital status, and career: Broadwell especially women’s tendency to get sexually involved was described as “a beautiful, intelligent woman,” with their male supervisors; Newsweek also mentioned and “fetching,” a “married mom of two young chil- other high profile political or military figures involved in dren” or “married Army scholar with two chil- similar scandals. All wrien by women, these pieces dren.” Her “married” status was oen the focus of pointed out that the problem was fairly common. One dis- these articles. In contrast, Petraeus’s marital status cussion of female journalists having inappropriate rela- was not highlighted; while Petraeus was also mar- tionships with sources concluded that this was detri- ried, and references were made to his (devoted, mental to other women, who “had to fight the perception dogged) wife, his status as a husband or as a sexual that they sleep with their sources to get the dirt.” being was not central to who he was as an “agent” Journalists spent a lot of space—in 13 of the 31 in the story. Time articles analyzed—considering the political and pro- fessional ramifications of the affair’s revelation. Not sur- Contexts and Framing of Stories prisingly, journalists offered assessments of the likely effect of the affair on the careers of Petraeus and A major frame of the articles in all three Broadwell. They wondered aloud why the affair was magazines was the history of the Broadwell and made public a week aer the 2012 presidential election Petraeus affair, emphasizing their initial interac- and just weeks before hearings on the Sept. 11, 2012 aack tions, their collaboration on his biography, and the on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi that killed development of their relationship. Several stories the U.S. ambassador to Libya. But they also asked whether placed the scandal in the context of the story of how military leaders would ever again be appointed to head and why Petraeus and Broadwell met, how she later the CIA. They put the affair in the context of relations be- received “unprecedented access” to him and his tween the FBI and the CIA, and relations between Con- work, and how work on the biography led to the gress—particularly Republicans—and the White House. affair. The texts provided very lile insight into They addressed the ramifications for continuation of Pet- Broadwell’s own background beyond her associa- raeus’ trademark counterinsurgency strategy in Iraq and tion with Petraeus. Afghanistan, and the continuing investigation of the Ben- Newsweek was interested in the parties ghazi aack—particularly whether Petraeus would be responsible for exposing the relationship, namely, called to testify before Congressional commiees. Other Jill Kelley and an FBI agent who first saw the emails contexts included the question of whether Petraeus would stalking Kelley. Kelley later complained that gov- be charged with adultery under military law. One U.S. ernment investigators unlawfully searched her per- News piece compared military rules on fraternization to sonal email and leaked false descriptions of her to the corporate world’s much more relaxed approach, and the media, making her “a media sideshow." compared the plight of generals to that of corporate CEOs U.S. News also briefly mentioned the FBI who are oen also implicated in affairs or other indiscre- investigation that led to the exposure of the affair tions. Another article framed the affair as Petraeus “taking and to Petraeus’ resignation, including the email a risk with his career”; Broadwell’s career was not men- exchanges between Broadwell and Kelley, as well as tioned. Time and U.S. News occasionally took up the story Broadwell and Petraeus corresponding via a joint of how and why Petraeus and Broadwell met, how she email inbox. Just a handful of articles featured Holly later received “unprecedented access” to him and his Petraeus and Sco Broadwell, the spouses of the work, and how work on the biography led to the affair. main personalities in the scandal. Holly Petraeus The texts provided very lile insight into Broadwell’s own was mentioned as the “supportive wife,” “the wom- background beyond her association with Petraeus. an behind the general,” “a military scion,” and a Journalists rarely compared the affair to similar “financial warrior”; Newsweek quoted Gen. Petrae- cases, although, as seems to happen with every such affair us himself calling his wife “the greatest source of in the U.S., one U.S. News article discussed French politi- support, wise counsel, and love that any soldier cians and their casualness about mistresses; another re- could have.” Sco Broadwell also played a called examples of impropriety in the Navy, including a “supporting role.” Albeit less emphatically, as “an commander who impregnated a woman and then asked a ordinary guy,” “a radiologist”; he was another friend to tell her he had died. J. Edgar Hoover’s discovery

www.mediareporttowomen.com 9 Spring 2015 Media Report to Women Research In Depth of JFK’s affair with Judith Campbell Exner was held imagined that once the scandal died down, Petrae- out as similar. Aer providing an extensive list of us would find “a rewarding second career awaits such cases involving public figures, yet another arti- him in business, where his personal code of ethics cle called the Petraeus/Broadwell case “one of the would probably rank in the top 10 percent.” A lat- most sensational news stories since presidential can- er overview of the news coverage surrounding the didate John Edwards got caught bedding down with scandal also predicted a future for Petraeus in cor- his videographer, while his wife struggled with can- porate defense, politics or other kind of service to cer.” the nation. Not surprisingly, when journalists wanted Moral Judgment, Blame, and Agency to blame one person exclusively, they blamed Pet- raeus more oen than Broadwell. That said, a cou- Most of the blame laid either directly or indi- ple of articles assigned blame specifically and sole- rectly at Petraeus’ feet had to do with the political ly to Broadwell although these stated that she fallout of the affair and the repercussions of his resig- would be able to “handle” her mistake. Moral nation for the U.S. government and military, rather judgments of Broadwell centered on her “married” than with the affair itself. One Time article described status and her family obligations, blaming her not Petraeus as endangering the CIA, given that he only for instigating the affair, but also for wrecking risked being blackmailed for the affair—a common her own marriage. This narrative not only dimin- concern in the intelligence community; another sug- ished her professional role, but ignored the possi- gested that Petraeus was arrogant, and that his ambi- bility that the affair—or publicity about it—would tions were higher than his level of competency, lead- have professional consequences for her. However, ing him to be more concerned with his image. Some a handful of other articles speculated that articles blamed Petraeus’ personality, more specifi- Broadwell and Petraeus had seduced each other, cally, his “narcissism.” and suggested the two should be blamed for the As time went on, the tone shied. A redemp- affair equally. One journalist referred to Broadwell tion narrative grew more visible in the Petraeus cov- and Petraeus as having gone “astray,” using the erage as events progressed. U.S. News’ very first passive voice to describe Petraeus as having piece on the affair and the resignation quoted Presi- “fallen into the affair,” seemingly absolving him of dent Obama not rebuking Petraeus but praising him responsibility, depicting Broadwell as the master- for his “intellectual rigor, dedication, and patriot- mind. ism.” Furthermore, some sources were quoted de- Agency was mostly ascribed indirectly in fending Petraeus by saying that sexual affairs were the news magazines’ texts, particularly through not illegal for civilians and that professional and the use of certain verbs and grammatical choice. public competence maers more than private mis- For instance, in U.S. News articles, Petraeus was steps; many expressed hope for Petraeus’ “future in almost always mentioned as the one who public service.” “resigned,” “decided to step down” or “admied Later, in Newsweek, Robin Givhan noted to having an extramarital affair.” This is the active that, since some smart men do stupid things, the voice, but it relates solely to the affair’s aermath. country was slowly calling into question our cultural At the same time, Broadwell “was revealed to have prudishness and coming around to the more sympa- been carrying on an affair.” Agency was ascribed thetic view that Petraeus’ “private indiscretions to Broadwell in describing how she had allegedly should have remained that way.” U.S. News ran a sent threatening emails to Jill Kelley, thus, un- few articles accusing Petraeus of using the affair as wiingly and ironically, instigating the FBI investi- an excuse to avoid testifying at the Benghazi hearing; gation and ensuing exposure. Several Newsweek one explicitly said the exposure of the affair was “a pieces stressed that Petraeus considered Broadwell good thing.” But one journalist observed: “One a military colleague rather than a subordinate. emerging storyline is that there must be something This, too, suggested she worked with him, not for wrong with military and government officials that him, and was thus capable of making her own de- makes them prone to flings with flaerers and dil- cisions, however misguided. Likewise, one Time eantes.” That is, rather than blaming Petraeus di- article said Petraeus had chosen to involve rectly, this writer pointed to a larger malaise in the Broadwell heavily in his life, but that he seemed military and government. One U.S. News journalist “smien by Broadwell and gave her unprecedent-

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ed access to him and his work” for his biography. whatever were the consequences for her had negligi- That is, while they both had agency in this situation, ble impact on the broader world. The focus of the Petraeus fell under her charms in the course of their coverage across all three magazines on the history of cooperation, leaving him at her mercy, and giving the Petraeus-Broadwell relationship and the expo- her the moral responsibility for the affair. sure and investigation of their liaison, however, clearly centers the moral judgment on Broadwell. Wider Impact of the Scandal Broadwell was summarily identified, and con- demned as “the mistress.” This rendered Petraeus as The wider impacts described in the magazine a mostly passive participant, and one who could coverage of the affair paralleled the contexts of the also be redeemed and even returned to power. Pet- articles themselves; all three magazines emphasized raeus was offered up as a valuable national asset; his the major political implications of the scandal for the past successes seemed sufficient reason to absolve federal government, the military, and the U.S. intelli- him. Diane Diamond’s Newsweek article, for exam- gence community. Thirteen of Time’s 31 articles re- ple, subtitled “Collateral Damage,” was headlined, ferred in some depth or detail to the possible wider “A Good General Is a Terrible Thing to Waste” and ramifications of the scandal. All three magazines argued that Petraeus and “his former mistress” were mentioned some consequences for the investigation not the only losers: “America has lost too… The Pet- of the Benghazi aack. Others were mostly of a polit- raeus expertise and experience is lost to the country ical nature, such as the future of relations among var- as he falls to the most common and mundane of hu- ious Washington organizations such as the FBI and man frailties—an extramarital affair.” the CIA, the White House and Congress; another is- Coverage of Broadwell was mostly neutral sue was the future of the military, including how the regarding her professional persona, but highly mor- affair should provoke military leaders to consider the ally charged when related to her personal life. She level of tolerance for such indiscretions. One Time was a married woman, with children, actively and article raised the broader issue of the security of clas- perhaps even aggressively carrying on an affair. As sified information and its implications for the intelli- additional facts involving the broader context of the gence community, given that Broadwell had access to affair were revealed, such as the e-mail exchanges such information (again, giving Broadwell agency between Broadwell and Petraeus, and those between here, and not Petraeus). For U.S. News the wider im- Broadwell and Kelley, journalists adopted a some- pact of the affair mostly referred to Cabinet changes what more outraged tone; Broadwell’s missives to and the future of the military, including whether, in Kelley, for instance, were “pure harassment” and the wake of Petraeus, military leaders should tolerate “cat fight-like.” sexual indiscretions. The fact that headlines so oen referred to Petraeus as a General suggest that not Conclusion only was Petraeus conflated with his professional life, but, in retaining his military title (aer all, it was An examination of these three news maga- as CIA director that he fell), he retained his profes- zines’ coverage of the Petraeus/Broadwell affair re- sional status and even honor. vealed that women involved in high-profile scandals can be simultaneously trivialized and condemned. Discussion The three news magazines’ depictions of the Petrae- us/Broadwell scandal largely fell into the same con- The prevalence of professional terms describ- structed news frames of power and gender previ- ing Petraeus in all three outlets, the framing of the ously employed by news media for such stories. affair for its repercussions for U.S. security and mili- Though not always blamed directly for instigating tary apparatus, and the relative absence of any men- the affair, the woman remained the object of moral tion of Broadwell in headlines may suggest that the discourse. Broadwell was the scapegoat, held re- three magazines saw Petraeus and his career as the sponsible for stirring up trouble in the first place. central topic. If one looked only at these features, Coverage of Broadwell did not precisely conform to coverage of Broadwell would seem largely consistent familiar gender stereotypes in the context of extra with other paerns when women were trivialized and marginalized; at this level Broadwell was treated as having a secondary role in the affair; certainly Petraeus/Broadwell, continued on Page 21

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career, representing a mix of large and small news Petraeus/Broadwell, from Page 11 organizations. This oral history project also documents their memories of JAWS and records the institu- marital affairs, which typically ascribe agency and tional memory of the organization through which responsibility to the power, rendering the woman these women manifested their deep interest in merely a victim, acted upon. Broadwell, in contrast, women’s empowerment. The interviews include was glamorous, aggressive, strong, and smart, and materials on multiple topics such as entrance into ultimately morally corrupt. She was not so much the the field of journalism in the 1960s and the 1970s, opposite of her lover, but of Holly Petraeus, the career opportunities and constraints in the news- selfless, supportive “good wife” and “good mother. room, dynamics and mechanisms of gender-based Broadwell thus seemed to play into a different media associations, the functions and consequences of conception of the “bad woman,” the Jezebel: sexually professional association membership, formal or active and thus “unfeminine” and unacceptable. informal styles of mentoring, and the nature of the Petraeus, on the other hand, was justified as the deco- relationships women journalists build. rated hero who should have shown more discretion. The title of the project, Herstory, is from Ultimately he was not condemned for the scandal. He an article about JAWS history wrien by Kay was not seen as an active instigator of the affair, in Mills, one of the founders and key drivers of the part because sexual activity is masculine (although organization who died in 2011 before she could be technically illegal for a general). Instead he was cred- interviewed for Herstory. Her profile is included ited with mopping up the fallout with grace. Journal- on this website, together with the 33 interviews ists’ shorthand vocabulary for assigning blame and conducted with other JAWS members. They are: explaining agency in extramarital affairs was con- Jacqui Banaszynski, Tad Bartimus, Mary Kay sistent, then, with a paern of coverage that deflects Blakely, Kathy Bonk, Maura Casey, Joy Cook, criticism from highly respected powerful men. Nota- Clare Crawford-Mason, Mary C. Curtis, Linda bly, although women journalists were no less than Deutsch, Julie Dunlap, Jodi Enda, Jennifer Gavin, men journalists likely to argue that Petraeus’ resigna- Diana Henriques, Glenda Crank Holste, Rita Hen- tion was a loss and perhaps even unnecessary, wom- ley Jensen, Pam Johnson, Julia Kagan (Baumann), en were the ones who tended to resist the moral dis- Kathy Kiely, Melissa Ludtke, Jane P. Marshall, Ju- course about Petraeus and Broadwell. The differences dy Miller, Peggy Sands Orchowski, Merrill Perl- here were not so much across the three magazines as man, Bonnie Rollins, Katherine Rowlands, Connie they were between women and men journalists, Sage, Gina Setser, Peggy Simpson, Andrea Stone, again, given women’s explicit repudiation of the no- Melinda Voss, Betsy Wade, Jean Gaddy Wilson, tion of Broadwell as an evil temptress or seductress. and Nina Zacuto. Further study of the coverage of sex scandals will This oral history project was sponsored by become only more important, particularly as these the Missouri School of Journalism, greatly assisted stories go viral online and, indeed, as increasing by the JAWS leadership, and generously funded numbers of women manage to achieve high profile or by the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute. public positions including in the military. The interviews were conducted by Yong Volz, Youn-Joo Park and Teri Finneman. The Herstory References website was designed by Ying Wu with assistance from a team of volunteer colleagues and students Entman, R. M. (1991). Framing United States coverage of interna- from the University of Missouri and other loca- tional news: Contrasts in narratives of the KAL and Iran Air inci- dents. Journal of Communication, 41 (4), 6-27. tions. It includes profiles of the JAWS members being interviewed, audio and video clips of the Entman, R. M. (1993). Framing: Towards clarification of a fractured interviews, pictures of early JAWS gatherings, and paradigm. Journal of Communication, 43 (4), 51-58. JAWS newsleers and documents from its first few Entman, R. M. (2012). Scandal and Silence: Media Responses to years that were provided by the State Historical Presidential Misconduct. Polity Society of Missouri Manuscript Collection. The music and artwork are original, produced Scheufele, D. A. (1999). Framing as a theory of media effects. Jour- Project leader and coordinator Yong Volz, nal of Communication, 49 (1), 103-122.

Missouri associate professor of journalism studies, Thompson, John (2000). Political Scandal: Power and Visibility in plans to add full videos and interview transcripts the Media Age. Polity at a later time Inquiries about this project can be directed to her at [email protected]. View the site at hp://www.herstory.rjionline.org/ www.mediareporttowomen.com 21 Spring 2015 Media Report to Women