University of Maastricht

Differences in Television News Coverage
A Comparison of RTL aktuell and ARD Tagesschau

Table of contents
 

1. Abstract

2. Introduction

3. Background Information

3.1. Historical Development of the German Broadcasting System
3.2. Media conglomeration affecting commercial broadcasting

4. Research Performance

4.1. Coding Sheet
4.2. Research Findings

5. Discussion

5.1. Analysis of ARD Tagesschau
5.2. Analysis of RTL aktuell
5.3. Comparison and Implications

6. Conclusion

7. References

8. Appendix

8.1. Coding Sheet
8.2. Fig. 1 and Fig. 2: Graphical representation of share of issue types
8.3. Fig. 3 and Fig. 4: Graphical representation of share of issue forms
8.4. Fig. 5: Graphical representation of issue types by Media Perspektiven
8.5. Fig. 6: Data on viewer numbers and market share by Media Perspektiven

Introduction

The German broadcasting system is a ´dual system` of public and private channels with different types of funding. In more recent years, an increasingly commercial environment has lead to the criticism that public service broadcasting extends to far into areas that should be left to the free-market. The Länder governments accuse ARD and ZDF of economic inefficiency and therefore propose a restructuring of the organization (Open Society Institute, 2005, p. 746). The European Commission pressures Germany to change its media policy and make the public broadcasting’s tasks more ´transparent`, which means to make a clearer distinction between their public service and commercial activities (Open Society Institute, 2005, p. 746). However, these kinds of measures might decrease the public service broadcasters’ independence from political and economic influences. The importance of a strong and independent public service broadcasting system, can be exemplified by their news coverage. The news is a very significant means in a democracy, since it informs the public on political, social, economic, etc. issues occurring in their home country and abroad. Hence, the news fulfills a very important task that should be protected from misuse in form of strong influence by particular interest groups.
In order to see the difference between public and private broadcasters` news, this paper looks at the news selection and presentation of the two biggest news broadcastings, ARD`s Tagesschau and RTL aktuell. Hereby, the following thesis is investigated: what are the differences in news selection and presentation of the two news reportings, and in how far can these differences be said to result from the channels` ownership by their broadcasting system? For the comparative analysis a content analysis was performed. A self-designed coding sheet helped to compare the representation of politics and other issues in the evening news of the public service channel ARD and the private channel RTL. The coding sheet includes such points as the issues covered, the order of these issues, the form of presentation etc. Over a time period of one week both news broadcasts were coded. During this week an in-depth analysis of one particular issue was conducted. The paper gives first of all background information on the two different broadcasting systems. Then it explains the research conducted and presents some general findings. Afterwards it goes separately into a detailed analysis of the two news broadcastings, before comparing them and suggesting inferences on the nature of these differences.

Background Information
Historical development of the German broadcasting system

The roots of German broadcasting lie in the Weimar Republic. The early years of broadcasting in Germany were mostly associated with Hans Bredow, Under-Secretary of State in the Imperial Post-Ministry. As Broadcasting Commissioner he was granted authority over the new medium. Throughout the Weimar Republic, broadcasting regulation remained under the authority of state officials. Control over the medium was exercised through a central information office on which the broadcasting stations relied for all their news and information. However, the broadcasters concentrated on artistic and entertainment programming, leaving out political expression. Furthermore, many of the state officials were committed to a specifically German kind of ´public-service ethos`. Accordingly, persons such as Hans Bredow were concerned about using the new medium as a kind of instrument of civilization or culture, and to keep it separate from party politics. Despite these efforts, the undemocratic elites of the Weimar Republic prepared the path for the National Socialists to come into power. (Humphreys, 1994, pp. 124-126)
Under this totalitarian system, broadcasting regulation was put under the centralized control of Josef Goebbel`s Reich Propaganda Ministry. Individual regional stations became Reichssender and broadcasting personnel fell victim to Nazi ´coordination` or Gleichschaltung. The authoritarian traits of the Weimar Republic were replaced by the totalitarian features of the Nazi regime. Radio quickly became the most important instrument of forming public opinion and promoting the National Socialist ideology. News and current affairs programs were used to present the Führer`s pronouncements and ´achievements`. Foreign coverage was filtered, as to prevent the influx of information from the outside world, which did not fit with the Nazi ideology. Jewish ´influence` was banned from the medium. Furthermore, broadcasting became a powerful weapon for spreading the Nazi views on ´racial purity`. Especially towards the end of the war, broadcasting was employed as a means of mass-deception about the true military situation. Moreover, light entertainment was used to further discourage critical reflection and to foster a false sense of spiritual and moral contentment. But the war damages did not make a halt before broadcasting. After the war, Germany had less radio sets than at the outbreak of the war. Broadcasting facilities were heavily destroyed and Germany had to rely on the Allies for a rebuilding of the broadcasting system. (Humphreys, 1994, pp.126-128)

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