Preliminary communication
Second Electoral Round of the 2010 Croatian Presidential Election in Daily Newspapers: Uneven Coverage of Candidates
Đurđa Vrljević Šarić
; Doctoral candidate Department of Information and Communication
Nada Zgrabljić Rotar
Abstract
Using content analysis method, we examined the quantity and the quality of media
coverage of the candidates for the Croatian president in the second circle
of the campaign during the 2010 elections, from December 28, 2009, to January
8, 2010. The studied corpus encompasses six Croatian mainstream national
political dailies as the sources of articles (units) for content analysis: Jutarnji
list, Večernji list, Vjesnik, Glas Slavonije, Novi list and Slobodna Dalmacija.
The analysis was conveyed on 625 newspaper articles on the presidential candidates,
published in the mainstream dailies during the 12-day period of the
second electoral round. Out of 625 analyzed articles, 276 (44.2 %) referred
to the candidate Milan Bandić, 194 (31 %) items discussed both presidential
candidates, and 155 (24.8 %) articles were about the candidate Ivo Josipović.
The two presidential candidates made the cover of the investigated newspapers
43 times in a 12-day period during which articles on Milan Banadić were
more frequently announced on newspaper covers. The candidate Milan Bandić
was also granted more space in the political dailies during the campaign in
second electoral round than his opponent Ivo Josipović. Research results demonstrated
that the print media more frequently connoted both candidates negatively
than positively in journalists’ and editorial comments. Negative statement
Medij. istraž. (god. 18, br. 1) 2012. (89-107)
PREDHODNO PRIOPĆENJE
UDK: 324:070(497.5)“2010“
Zaprimljeno: siječnja, 2012.
* Đurđa Vrljević Šarić, Doctoral candidate Department of Information and Communication
Science, Faculty of Philosophy University of Zagreb, Croatia; djurdjav@net.hr
** Nada Zgrabljić Rotar, Ph.D. Department of Tourism and Communication Science
University of Zadar, Croatia; nrotar@unizd.hr
90
Medij. istraž. (god. 18, br. 1) 2012. (89-107)
bias is even more emphasized in comments on the independent candidate Milan
Bandić. Analysis of the articles’ themes has shown that the candidate Milan
Bandić was more often presented in articles that were campaign not-related.
The results have confirmed that mainstream print media did not fulfill their task
of ensuring even coverage for both parties in the electoral process.
Keywords
presidential election; campaign coverage; media bias; mediatization of politics; personalization of politics; print media; Ivo Josipović; Milan Bandić
Hrčak ID:
85382
URI
Publication date:
21.6.2012.
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