University of Twente Student Theses
German Media Coverage of Climate Activist Groups: A Comparative Analysis of Süddeutsche Zeitung and Bild
Hug, E.K. (2023) German Media Coverage of Climate Activist Groups: A Comparative Analysis of Süddeutsche Zeitung and Bild.
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| Abstract: | This thesis investigates the media coverage of three climate activist groups, namely Fridays for Future, Extinction Rebellion (XR) and Letzte Generation (LG), within the German climate movement. Conducting a qualitative content analysis, the study examines the coverage of these groups in two prominent German news outlets, Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) and Bild. The thesis aims to address a research gap of scientific studies on news coverage of various climate groups by examining the research question: How does German media coverage of climate activist groups differ between outlets and groups over time? A sample of 894 articles was obtained by conducting a keyword search on the Lexis-Nexis database. Employing theories related to media power and radical flanks, the anticipation of a more negative portrayal of the two more radical groups, XR and LG, by the Bild compared to the SZ could be confirmed. However, the study did not find evidence supporting the expected positive radical flank effect (RFE). It reveals the absence of any distinct RFE, except for the negative portrayal of XR in Bild, suggesting a negative RFE. Consequently, the differences observed between the media outlets are considered to be more significant than the influence of the groups on each other. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Bachelor) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 70 social sciences in general |
| Programme: | Management Society and Technology BSc (56654) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/96033 |
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