Fiction references as framing devices in extended reality news discourse

This article examines fiction references in news coverage of extended reality. Based on a mixed methods analysis of 977 news articles from UK mainstream mass media outlets, this study found that fiction references were frequently used as framing devices within the news articles, with a focus on two franchises: The Matrix original trilogy (1999–2003) and Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994). These references were utilised in the following three key ways: claiming fiction is becoming real; as a tool to improve readers’ understanding of extended reality; and, to a limited degree, to create dystopic visions of extended reality. Ultimately, this article shows that, despite the dystopic representations of extended reality in fiction, fiction references have primarily been used to portray extended reality as advanced and high-quality. This supports extended reality adoption and the commercial interests of technology companies, raising questions as to whether journalists prioritise the interests of their readers when creating such news.