Party Populism and Media Access: The News Value of Populist Communication and How It Is Handled by the Mass Media

Authors

  • Franzisca Schmidt University of Bern Institute of Communication and Media Studies (icmb)

Keywords:

populism, party communication, news value, news reporting

Abstract

The continuing successes of populist parties across Europe direct us to comprehensively examine the circumstances contributing to their growth. In this context, the question is often asked whether and to what extent the mass media provide a stage for populist messages and actors. The aim of this article is to discuss the relationship between party populism and media access and to analyze whether the use of populist communication is a successful strategy for disproportionate media attention. Through an input-output analysis, the article provides information about the specific proportions of populist party input that made it into news coverage. A quantitative content analysis of press releases and political news coverage in four EU countries shows that only in certain countries do political actors receive overproportionate visibility because of their populist communication. Moreover, all newspapers have a corrective effect on the dissemination of populist party statements. Thus, despite the news value inherent in populist communication, the mass media do not play an unreservedly conducive role in the promotion of populism.

Author Biography

Franzisca Schmidt, University of Bern Institute of Communication and Media Studies (icmb)

Franzisca Schmidt, PhD, is a post-doctoral researcher at the Institute of Communication and Media Studies at the University of Bern. Her research interests include political communication in the context of elections and referenda, and more specifically the dissemination of populism by political actors and the mass media.

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Published

2020-04-13

Issue

Vol. 14 (2020)

Section

Articles

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