The local angle News values and frames in the coverage of European affairs Sigurd Allern, University of Oslo, Norway
European ambitions, national and local markets The EU is not Europe. However: The EU has 25 member states, 450 million citizens New members will join Associated countries (European Economic Area) Set backs (the referendums in Holland and France) Very few pan-national news outlets Local, regional and national media dominates Contradiction: lofty ideals about ‘ European Public Sphere’ and the national/local orientation of the media.
The European public sphere, more than an EU pipe dream? At the bottom: the idea of universality, the public sphere must be accessible for all citizens The importance of the media: they must be within reach for society’s members (Peter Dahlgren) One or more spheres? Colin Sparks: singular, unifying Craig Caloun: spheres of public
Two important obstacles 1 The importance of language in political communication (20 official community languages in the EU alone, and more will come) 2 The structure of the media market. Few pan- European or pan-national media outlets National frames shape what is reported about European Affairs
EU on the news agenda Agenda analysis (3 weeks spring 2005, 5 leading news outlets in ten countries). Three ‘levels’ concerning the amount of news stories: 1 France, Germany, Lithuania, Ireland 2 Finland, Estonia, Italy, Norway, Belgium 3 UK 1 National newspapers 2 Regional newspapers 3 Popular press, public service and commercial television
Actors in the EU-related news National: 46 per cent EU:24 per cent Foreign31 per cent
Factors influencing the news agenda Market strategy News values Resources Editorial mix
Reporting from Brussels and beyond 929 journalists accredited About 25 per cent from countries outside the EU Only seven Norwegian correspondents from 9 news outlets Institutional news often pre structured Business related, or about laws, regulations, meeting, summits European correspondents versus Brussels correspondents Reportage journalism
Types of relationships/networks National groups Status groups Media type groups
Creating an European identity? No, thank you, we have other obligations! (Irish report) “Only those with a stronger ‘partisan profile accept the idea..” (Italian report) “..A dream of EU bureaucrats, particularly French and German ones (Lithuanian editor) “We are no missionaries..” (Norwegian foreign news editor) “We are no missionaries..” (Norwegian foreign news editor)
Journalistic approaches ’The sacerdotal approach’: covering political institutions important ‘per se’. ‘The pragmatic approach’: politics must compete with any type of news ‘The pragmatic approach’: politics must compete with any type of news ‘The conventionally approach’ (conflicts, crisis, personal drama) ‘The analytical approach ‘ The critical approach’
Proximity in the news Proximity, local angle and national framing: How does this affect us, what are the consequences for our area and our daily lives? The dilemma: Transnational political processes and vital decisions in a European Union without a transnational or European public sphere is in conflict with basic, democratic values. Can visions about a European Public Sphere be more than a pipe dream?