The (partisan) role of the press in direct democratic campaigns : Evidence from a Swiss vote on European integration

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_94A2D7C15FF5
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
The (partisan) role of the press in direct democratic campaigns : Evidence from a Swiss vote on European integration
Journal
Swiss Political Science Review
Author(s)
Tresch A.
ISSN
1424-7755
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2012
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
18
Number
3
Pages
287-304
Language
english
Abstract
This article analyzes the role of the press in direct democratic campaigns. The paper argues the press has a dual role: On news pages, newspapers ought to inform citizens about the issue positions and frames of the pro and con camps in a balanced way. In editorials, newspapers act as political advocates that promote their own issue frames and try to shape public opinion through voting recommendations. Comparing the issue positions and frames in editorials and news reports in the run-up to the vote on the popular initiative "Yes to Europe" in Switzerland, this article shows that newspapers give similar visibility to the pro and con camps regardless of the papers' own editorial position. However, some newspapers favor issue frames that are in line with their editorial perspectives. In conclusion, newspapers are more similar in news report content than in editorial views.
Keywords
media coverage, editorial slant, framing, direct democracy, Switzerland
Create date
11/09/2014 12:16
Last modification date
20/08/2019 15:57
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