both in TV news and elite media

Transcription

1 Support for the EU remains too weak both in TV news and elite media Coverage of the EU in BBC news and Financial Times After 15 years of disinterest and EU-bashing, support for the EU remains insufficient Media coverage decreased after British-EU negotiations Media image of EU still critical on policy issues Basis: 102,772 news stories in BBC One Ten o clock news, ,578 reports about the EU out of 162,762 reports about protagonists in BBC One Ten o clock news and BBC Two Newsnight / Inter-coder reliability: 88% in Q1/2016 Media Tenor International AG Roland Schatz r.schatz@mediatenor.com

2 Agenda Brexit trends, January-April 2016 EU coverage in U.K. media: Long-term analysis 2

3 EU coverage in BBC news Tone of coverage of the EU in comparison, January 1 December 31, 2015 EU covered more negative than strongmen Xi Jinping Bashar al Assad Vladimir Putin EU 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% negative no clear tone positive Coverage of the EU on British TV was overwhelmingly negative in 2015, showing the Union as undemocratic and helpless in the face of global problems. China s leader Xi Jinping enjoyed much more positive reporting. Basis: 46,737 reports about protagonists in BBC One and BBC Two news 3

4 EU coverage in BBC TV news and FT Share of reports about the EU / tone of coverage, January 1-April 17,2016 TV coverage decreased again after Cameron s victory 5,0% 5,0% 4,0% 4,0% 3,0% 3,0% 2,0% 2,0% 1,0% Awareness Threshold 1,0% 0,0% average 0,0% Jan 16 Feb 16 Mar 16 Apr 16 Jan 16 Feb 16 Mar 16 Apr 16 Share of all reports Share of all reports The EU stayed way below the awareness threshold over the 15 years since While the negotiations about Cameron s demands were prominent in February, media interest in the Brexit debate has flagged again in March and April. Basis: 1,451 reports about the EU out of 60,758 reports about protagonists in BBC One Ten o clock news, BBC Two Newsnight. FT 4

5 EU coverage in BBC TV news and FT Tone of coverage of the EU, January 1-April 17,2016 Negativity prevails on TV limited support in FT 50% 50% 45% 45% 40% 40% 35% 35% 30% 30% 25% 25% 20% 20% 15% 15% 10% 10% 5% 5% 0% Jan 16 Feb 16 Mar 16 Apr 16 average negative positive 0% Jan 16 Feb 16 Mar 16 Apr 16 negative positive In view of the negativity accumulated over the course of the last 15 year, media support for the EU is not sufficient both in the media addressing the wider public but as well in the top medium for the business elite. An eventual Brexit remains highly probable. Basis: 1,451 reports about the EU out of 60,758 reports about protagonists in BBC One Ten o clock news, BBC Two Newsnight. FT 5

6 EU coverage in BBC TV news and FT Share of reports about the EU / tone of coverage, January 1-April 17,2016 European Union focus increases critical tone BBC 2 Newsnight BBC 2 Newsnight BBC 1 Ten o'clock News BBC 1 Ten o'clock News FT FT 0,0% 1,0% 2,0% 3,0% 4,0% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% Share of all reports per program negative positive BBC 2 Newsnight devoted a notably higher share of its news towards reporting about the EU in 2016 than BB1 Ten o clock News or the FT. In these reports Newsnight reported in a more polarized and a more critical way than the other media. Basis: 1,451 reports about the EU out of 60,758 reports about protagonists in BBC One Ten o clock news, BBC Two Newsnight. FT 6

7 EU coverage in BBC TV news and FT EU institutions: Volume and tone of coverage, January 1-April 17,2016 Positive aspects do not pervade European Union European Commission European Council of Ministers ECB European Parliament EUROPOL European Court of Justice European Banking Authority Eurostat Frontex ECB European Union European Commission EURO Currency European Parliament European Council of Ministers European Court of Justice Eurostat European Banking Authority EUROPOL Single Resolution Board Euro Group ECA Frontex Eiopa ESMA negative no clear tone positive negative no clear tone positive While the official position of the government in favor of the U.K. remaining in the European is at least visible in TV news, critical coverage prevails. Media support for the in-campaign is therefore still not sufficient. The FT, whilelessnegative, showsbarelyanypositiveaspects. Basis: 1,451 reports about the EU out of 60,758 reports about protagonists in BBC One Ten o clock news, BBC Two Newsnight. FT 7

8 EU coverage in BBC TV news and FT EU representatives: Volume and tone of coverage, January 1-April 17,2016 EU leaders play a minor role on British screens Donald Tusk Federica Mogherini Martin Schulz Mario Draghi Jean-Claude Juncker Rob Wainwright Lars-Gunnar Wigemark José Manuel Barroso Valdis Dombrovskis Mario Draghi Margrethe Vestager Donald Tusk Jean-Claude Juncker Peter Praet Frans Timmermans Jonathan Hill Vitor Constancio Pierre Moscovici Günther Oettinger negative no clear tone positive negative no clear tone positive TV coverage focused on Donald Tusk, David Cameron s counterpart in the negotiations, while the FT was preoccupied with ECB President Mario Draghi. Margrethe Vestager was criticized for allegedly discriminating against U.S. companies. Basis: 1,451 reports about the EU out of 60,758 reports about protagonists in BBC One Ten o clock news, BBC Two Newsnight. FT 8

9 EU coverage in BBC TV news and FT Volume and tone of coverage: The topics, January 1-April 17,2016 Official line visible on Brexit critic prevails on other issues Brexit Brexit EU politics Monetary policy EU borders Money supply Immigration Interest rate Asylum/deportation Currency market Situation of refugees other aspects Situation of refugees Regulation Antitrust policy UK: European policy Asylum/deportation Border controls Immigration Monetary policy Regulation of financial sector Diplomacy Banking supervision Peacekeeping EU integration EU red tape EU services Tax haven Interest rate EU borders International terrorism Price indicators negative no clear tone positive negative no clear tone positive While TV news took up the official line that a Brexit is not on the cards, the FT was more skeptical. Moreover, on policy issues from migration to economic policies and terrorism risks, negative reporting shaped the perception of the EU. Basis: 1,451 reports about the EU out of 60,758 reports about protagonists in BBC One Ten o clock news, BBC Two Newsnight. FT 9

10 EU coverage in BBC TV news and FT EU policy issues: Volume and tone of coverage of protagonists, January 1-April 17,2016 European issues: Benefits for the U.K. addressed UK European Union David Cameron UK Government European countries Boris Johnson Donald Tusk British society Conservative Party Jeremy Corbyn Nigel Farage British companies Michael Gove European Commission Angela Merkel Labour Party British voters UK European Union David Cameron European Commission European countries British state UK Government Boris Johnson British economy British voters Donald Tusk German government EU officials Conservative Party EU critics negative no clear tone positive negative no clear tone positive When British TV news have reported about European policies proper, they have taken up the supportive statements from political protagonists. This remains unconvincing, as the overall media image of the EU remained negative. Basis: 1,451 reports about the EU out of 60,758 reports about protagonists in BBC One Ten o clock news, BBC Two Newsnight. FT 10

11 Brexit trends, January-April 2016 EU coverage in U.K. media: Long-term analysis 11

12 EU coverage in BBC One news Share of reports about the EU, January 1, 2001-April 15, 2016 EU in twelve out of 16 years below the awareness threshold 2,5% 2,0% 1,5% Awareness Threshold 1,0% 0,5% 0,0% Share of all news stories The EU played no important role on British TV screens over the course of the last 16 years. The European elections in 2004 and the Brussels Summit on a fiscal union in 2011 were the only exceptions until 2015, when the BREXIT debate gained steam in the context of the elections. Basis: 102,172 news stories in BBC One Ten o clock news 12

13 EU coverage in BBC One news Tone of coverage of the EU as main protagonist, January 1, 2001-April 15, 2016 Positive evaluation cannot convince the public 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% negative positive British TV news has piled up criticism on the EU and its institutions over the last 16 years. Negativity rose significantly after the 2010 elections. Reporting about the advantages of EU membership come too late and will not convince a public that has been accustomed to EU bashing. Basis: 102,172 news stories in BBC One Ten o clock news 13

14 EU coverage in BBC TV news Share of reports about the EU, January 1, 2012-April 15, 2016 European affairs on the rise only since ,0% 50% 2,5% 45% 40% 2,0% 35% 30% 1,5% 25% 1,0% 20% 15% 0,5% 10% 5% 0,0% % Share of all reports negative positive Coverage of the EU has risen significantly in BBC One and BBC Two news in 2015 and In the course of David Cameron s negotiations with his European partners positive aspects were mentioned more often. Basis: 2,578 reports about the EU out of 162,762 reports about protagonists in BBC One Ten o clock news and BBC Two Newsnight 14

15 EU coverage in BBC TV news and FT Tone of coverage of EU countries, January 1, 2015-April 15, 2016 U.K. news paint a negative picture of EU partner countries BBC 1 BBC Two Newsnight FT negative no clear tone positive The negative perception of the EU is underscored by negative references to the EU countries, especially in BBC Ten o clock news. ThelackofsolidaritybetweenEUmembersisperceivedasa threat to the viability of the EU. Basis: 209,769 reports in FT, 38,419 reports in BBC One, 22,115 reports in BBC Two 15

16 Media Set BBC One Ten o Clock News BBC Two Newsnight Financial Times 16