The populist campaigns against European public service media

Hot air or existential threat

Bibliographic Data

ID12898521
AuthorsAnnika Sehl (0000-0002-8949-569X, Universität der Bundeswehr München, corresponding author), Felix M Simon (0000-0002-0371-4653, University of Oxford), Ralph Schroeder (0000-0002-4229-1585, University of Oxford)
Year2020
Volume84
Issue1
Pages3-23
Publication date2020-07-12
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Communication Gazette (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1748-0485 • E-ISSN: 1748-0493
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/1748048520939868
OpenAlexW3043374046
LanguageEN
Citations received38
References cited28

Right-wing populists are gaining ground in Western democracies. Surveys show that they often distrust established media and public service media (PSM) in particular, claiming that they are biased against them. This paper examines how they have challenged PSM and proposes some potential responses to these challenges. The paper is based on an analysis of a number of recent and long-standing surveys of public attitudes towards the media, combined with an analysis of support for right-wing populists. It focuses on three purposively sampled national case studies: Austria, Germany and Sweden. We show several commonalities among PSM in these three countries, including similar right-wing populist attacks on PSM. The findings crystallise around two points: First, the impartiality and objectivity of news media has generally become less taken-for-granted in a ‘high-choice’ media environment offering various news products of different quality. Secondly, historical left-right distinctions have become less clear-cut, also because right-wing populists challenge them. Consequently, the role of PSM in creating a shared national conversation which represents the diversity of society has also come under siege. At the same time, partisan websites and social media platforms enable certain groups to showcase content that is more aligned with the perspectives of right-wing populists. The paper concludes by asking if right-wing populists are a growing threat to PSM and whether this threat is isolated or potentially indicative of a broader and more sustained pattern

Distrust · Guardian · Political science · Public relations · Public service · Sociology · Law · Media Studies and Communication · Populism, Right-Wing Movements · Social Media and Politics

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