This thesis examines how the right-wing populist parties AfD and FPÖ are portrayed in the media. In 2017, the right-wing populist parties “Alternative for Germany” (AfD) and the Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ) got markedly different election results: While the AfD got 12.6 % of the vote share, the FPÖ achieved a much higher result with 26 %. Considering that the two parties as well as Germany and Austria are ostensibly similar, this puzzle leads to the question of what explains the so markedly different election results of the AfD and the FPÖ in 2017.
Based on a review of general factors that explain the success of populist radical right parties and extensive research on the aspects that led to the rise and success of the AfD and FPÖ, the paper focuses on the role of the media, seeking to understand how the two parties were portrayed by the media before the 2017 elections. This task is approached by conducting a qualitative content analysis of the reporting on the AfD by the Bild Zeitung and the depiction of the FPÖ by the Kronen Zeitung, the two most popular online daily newspapers in their countries, during the last month before the elections.
It is shown that the two parties used different framing strategies to report on the AfD or FPÖ respectively, resulting in a much more negative portrayal of the former. Considering that the FPÖ was depicted in a more positive way and got a much higher result in the election, the paper contributes to the literature by supporting the theory that the media have an influence on election results by shaping the public image of parties and their leaders, thereby influencing the voter’s perception of them, and offers a relevance point for further research on explaining the varied election results of the AfD and FPÖ in the 2017 elections.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 General explanations
2.1.1 Demand-side explanations
2.1.1.1 Macro-level
2.1.1.2 Micro-level
2.1.2 Supply-side explanations
2.1.2.1 Internal
2.1.2.2 External
2.1.3 Interim Conclusion
2.2 Explanations for the success of the AfD and FPÖ
2.2.1 Demand-side
2.2.1.1 Macro-level
2.2.1.2 Micro-level
2.2.2 Supply-side
2.2.2.1 Internal
2.2.2.2 External
2.3 Conclusion
3. METHODOLOGY
3.1 Case selection: Media
3.2 Agenda-setting, priming, and framing
3.3 Qualitative content analysis – case selection
3.4 Qualitative content analysis- Data selection and evaluation
4. RESEARCH FINDINGS
4.1 Bild Zeitung
4.1.1 Volume of reporting
4.1.2 Evaluation of the AfD in the reporting
4.1.3 Sender
4.1.4 Topics
4.1.5 Attributes
4.2 Kronen Zeitung
4.2.1 Volume of reporting
4.2.2 Evaluation of the FPÖ in the reporting
4.2.3 Senders
4.2.4 Topics
4.2.5 Attributes
5. COMPARISON AND DISCUSSION
5.1 Volume and evaluation of reporting
5.2 Senders
5.3 Topics
5.4 Attributes
6. CONCLUSION
Objectives and Research Focus
The primary objective of this research is to explain the markedly different election results of the German "Alternative for Germany" (AfD) and the Austrian "Freedom Party" (FPÖ) in 2017, despite the two parties and their respective countries being ostensibly similar. The research focuses on the role of the media in shaping public opinion during the critical month before the elections, specifically examining whether different framing strategies by leading daily newspapers contributed to the parties' varied electoral success.
- Analysis of media influence on populist radical right party success through "mediatization."
- Qualitative content analysis of the reporting on the AfD in the "Bild Zeitung" and the FPÖ in the "Kronen Zeitung."
- Investigation into framing, priming, and agenda-setting strategies employed by these media outlets.
- Comparison of the volume, evaluation, and attributes associated with both parties in their respective media environments.
- Evaluation of the political and electoral consequences of the identified media portrayals.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Case selection: Media
Especially for the electoral breakthrough of a populist radical right party, the media are important by reporting in a positive or neutral manner on their actors. The reason for this is that the media “control the gateway to the electoral market” by providing legitimacy in the form of portraying topics and candidates as politically suitable. Considering that “electorates have become more volatile, more sensitive to […] images of political leaders” during the last years, the fact that the media decide which politicians get attention and also shape the public images of them becomes even more important.
In general, it has been argued that media coverage of political actors or campaigns has an impact on candidate support as voters experience politicians through the media which, as a consequence, have an influence on the voter’s perception of political candidates. Consequently, it has been stated that the success of right-wing populist parties “can be partially attributed to the public image of their leaders […], which, in turn, conceivably derives from how these leaders are portrayed in the media.” It is assumed that a positive portrayal of a party has a beneficial impact on the support for it, while a critical portrayal has a deterrent effect on voters. The media shape the image of political actors by deciding on the salience of particular political actors and/or their qualities.
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: Introduces the rise of populist parties in Western Europe and highlights the 2017 electoral puzzle concerning the AfD and FPÖ.
2. LITERATURE REVIEW: Critically reviews demand-side and supply-side mechanisms for populist radical right success, identifying media portrayal as a crucial variable.
3. METHODOLOGY: Outlines the qualitative content analysis framework, case selection of the newspapers, and the analytical approach used to identify framing strategies.
4. RESEARCH FINDINGS: Presents the individual analysis of reporting for both the Bild Zeitung (AfD) and the Kronen Zeitung (FPÖ) regarding volume, senders, topics, and attributes.
5. COMPARISON AND DISCUSSION: Compares the findings for both parties, concluding that the negative portrayal of the AfD in Germany contrasts sharply with the relatively positive portrayal of the FPÖ in Austria.
6. CONCLUSION: Summarizes how media framing acts as a reference point for the parties' varied electoral outcomes and suggests that different political cultures influence how the press treats right-wing populism.
Keywords
AfD, FPÖ, populist radical right, media, framing, qualitative content analysis, Bild Zeitung, Kronen Zeitung, election results, political culture, mediatization, Germany, Austria, 2017 elections.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this thesis?
The thesis investigates the significant disparity in electoral success between the German AfD and the Austrian FPÖ in 2017, focusing on how leading online daily newspapers portrayed these parties.
What are the central thematic areas?
The research explores demand-side and supply-side explanations for populist success, the political cultures of Germany and Austria, and the specific role of media framing in shaping political images.
What is the primary research question?
The study asks why the AfD and FPÖ achieved such different election results in 2017 and examines the extent to which media portrayal served as a contributing factor.
Which methodology is applied?
The author conducts a qualitative content analysis of articles from the Bild Zeitung (reporting on the AfD) and the Kronen Zeitung (reporting on the FPÖ) published during the month leading up to their respective 2017 elections.
What is addressed in the main part of the paper?
The main part encompasses a literature review of populism, the methodological setup, a detailed analysis of findings for both newspapers, and a subsequent comparative discussion.
Which keywords define the work?
The study is defined by terms such as right-wing populism, media framing, election success, and political communication in the German and Austrian context.
How did the media framing differ between the two parties?
The analysis found that the Bild Zeitung used a predominantly negative framing strategy for the AfD, emphasizing scandals and radicalism, whereas the Kronen Zeitung presented a more balanced or even positive narrative for the FPÖ, focusing on personality traits and campaign success.
What is the conclusion regarding the political culture?
The author concludes that Germany's handling of its Nazi past creates a political culture that is more prone to stigmatizing right-wing populist movements, whereas Austria's culture, influenced by a different narrative of the past, appears more receptive to these political actors.
- Citar trabajo
- Carolina Gerwin (Autor), 2019, The AfD, FPÖ and leading online newspapers. Friend or enemy?, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/509886
