Taking framing and agenda-setting as theoretical approaches, the present study analyzed the portrayal of refugees in German news reporting before and after the Cologne mass sexual assault on New Year’s Eve 2015. Comparing the two largest public (ARD and ZDF) and private (RTL and Sat1) TV broadcasters, the results indicated that the incident had an immediate impact on the news reporting of all channels, but not in the long term. The problem/threat frame peaked in January 2016 for all channels.
Overall, private channels showed a stronger tendency to emotionalize the news and portray refugees negatively. Especially RTL strongly changed its portrayal of refugees after the incident. The political frame was most popular for all channels after the incident, but much stronger so for public channels. The number of articles published peaked for public as well as private channels in the month following the incident. Public opinion data indicated that the popularity of the German right-wing party AfD has increased to an all time high since the beginning of the refugee debate in the media. The Cologne mass sexual assault did however not have an immediate impact. It is argued that the effect is cumulative rather than a short-term immediate reaction to specific events.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- The Cologne Mass Sexual Assault
- Research questions
- Theoretical Framework
- Conceptual definitions relating to the refugee debate
- The German refugee regime and its history
- Refugees in the media and politics
- Migrant, asylum and refugee discourse in Germany
- Agenda-setting and framing as cognitive media effects
- Agenda-setting
- Framing
- Private and public broadcasting in Germany
- Research Methods
- Data collection
- Data analysis
- Coding protocol for quantitative framing analysis
- Results
- Sample summary
- The portrayal of refugees before the incident
- Private channels
- Sat.1
- RTL
- Public channels
- ARD
- ZDF
- Private - public comparison
- The portrayal of refugees after the incident
- Private channels
- Sat.1
- RTL
- Public channels
- ARD
- ZDF
- Comparison and summary
- Neutral, negative, and positive articles
- Private channels
- Public channels
- Content analysis of selected positive and negative articles
- Private channels
- Public channels
- Agenda-setting
- Media agenda
- Audience agenda and evaluation
- Xenophobic crimes
- Discussion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This study aims to analyze the portrayal of refugees in German news reporting, specifically comparing private and public channels before and after the Cologne Mass Sexual Assault. The study investigates how the event impacted the media framing of refugees and explores potential effects on audience perception and agenda-setting.
- Media framing and its effects on public opinion
- The role of private and public broadcasting in shaping refugee discourse
- The impact of the Cologne Mass Sexual Assault on media coverage of refugees
- Agenda-setting and the relationship between media and public agenda
- The influence of media framing on public attitudes towards refugees and immigration
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction outlines the context and motivation for the study, introducing the Cologne Mass Sexual Assault as a pivotal event in the German refugee debate. It then presents the research questions that guide the analysis. Chapter 2 delves into the theoretical framework, providing definitions related to the refugee debate, outlining the German refugee regime and its historical context, and exploring the role of media and politics in refugee discourse. It introduces key concepts such as agenda-setting and framing, explaining their relevance in understanding media effects. Chapter 3 details the research methods, including data collection strategies, data analysis approaches, and the coding protocol used for quantitative framing analysis.
Chapter 4 presents the results of the analysis, focusing on the portrayal of refugees in both private and public news channels before and after the Cologne Mass Sexual Assault. This chapter examines the prevalence of different frames, comparing their application across channels and analyzing the shift in framing before and after the event. It further investigates the frequency of neutral, negative, and positive articles, exploring potential differences in coverage between private and public media. The chapter concludes with an analysis of specific positive and negative articles, providing deeper insights into the framing strategies employed by different outlets. Chapter 5 engages in a discussion of the findings, connecting the research findings to existing literature and exploring broader implications for understanding media effects, refugee discourse, and public opinion.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This study focuses on the portrayal of refugees in German news reporting, using framing analysis to explore media effects on public opinion. The research investigates the impact of the Cologne Mass Sexual Assault on media coverage, comparing private and public channels. Key terms include: refugees, media framing, agenda-setting, public opinion, private broadcasting, public broadcasting, Cologne Mass Sexual Assault, Germany, migrant discourse, asylum discourse, media effects.
- Quote paper
- Rene Tanious (Author), 2016, The Portrayal of Refugees in Public and Private German News Reporting Before and After the Cologne Mass Sexual Assault, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/459321
