Journalism failed in its task during the last election when they let the politicians set the agenda around which topics dominated the news reporting.
This is confirmed by three researchers in a new report.
– If politicians gain great influence over media reporting, journalism ducks to highlight issues that voters want to know more about. Then journalism must dare to be uncomfortable, says Ulrika Beck-Friis, one of three who are behind the report.
The report “Politics, media and the news agenda” was presented today. Behind it stands Ulrika Beck-Friis, director of the Institute for Media Studies together with media researchers Jesper Strömbäck and Bengt Johansson. There, the trio states that the news flow in the four weeks before the election was dominated by energy prices, the economy and crime and punishment. Topics that the politicians themselves put on the agenda.
– There is a good soul that this is how an election campaign should be monitored, but it is not enough. We have done very little review of whether there is any plausibility in what is promised, or whether the goals will be achieved. Then journalism becomes part of politics, says Beck-Friis.
The issues that the voters thought were most important, such as care for the elderly, healthcare, climate and education, had to take a back seat. The big reviews were there, but didn’t get as much attention as they should.
– It’s not enough if more editors don’t get involved. There is great unity in the research that there have been culverts between the editorial offices. Then there will be no leverage effect where the pressure increases on the parties.
The managers disagree
SVT’s responsible publisher Charlotta Friborg and TV4’s ditto Fredrick Malmberg think that the report contains a lot of interesting conclusions, but do not completely agree.
The power of the media is often criticized. But I don’t really think it’s that strange that the media doesn’t completely set the agenda during a short and intense election campaign, says Friborg.
Malmberg fills in:
– We look at our opinion polls, which show what the people thought was most interesting, is also what coincides. It is not surprising that crime and punishment are high on the agenda after all the shootings. These are things that were close to people’s hearts. The politicians sense those currents.
The responsible publishers are also self-critical.
– Were we good enough at connecting climate with energy, for example, says Malmberg.
Friborg agrees:
– “The price at the pump” became a concept. Were the promises made there realistic? Did we look at it enough?
Almost all received proportionate attention
Another thing the report shows is that almost all the party leaders received about as much attention as the size of the party. The exception is Center Party’s former party leader Annie Lööf, who received more than SD leader Jimmie Åkesson, despite the fact that the party is much smaller.
Fewer scandals
The media’s election coverage also contained fewer scandals compared to 2018. From eleven percent of all features and articles to nine percent in 2022.