Do channels matter? Investigating media characteristics in the agenda-building process of an election campaign.

Autor(en)
Ramona Vonbun, Jörg Matthes
Abstrakt

This study investigates the agenda-building process as it involves multiple information sources. Next to traditional news media like television newscasts and newspapers, the study considers online news sites and news agencies in the agenda-building process. Furthermore, the policy agenda is differentiated into the agenda of governing and opposition parties. The scope is to give a compressive overview of the agenda-building process during election campaigns as it involves several information sources and occurs within the 24-hour news cycle. Additionally, this study aims to conceptualize the agenda-building potential of various information sources by discussing their features, i.e. channel characteristics. Therefore, we focus on the impact of two specific characteristics, namely stability and flexibility in the agenda-building process. To test the theoretical assumptions, a semi-automatic content analysis of 15 policy issues in 14 online news sites, 18 newspapers, nine newscasts, wire copy and press releases of six parties was conducted during the last six weeks of the Austrian national election campaign 2013. Findings indicate that during the 24-hour news cycle, agenda building is a multi-directional process shaped by the channel characteristics stability and flexibility. Additionally, newswires and online news sites of traditional media outlets are important agenda builders during election times.

Organisation(en)
Institut für Publizistik- und Kommunikationswissenschaft
Journal
Journalism Studies
Band
19
Seiten
2359-2378
Anzahl der Seiten
20
ISSN
1461-670X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/1461670X.2017.1349547
Publikationsdatum
12-2018
Peer-reviewed
Ja
ÖFOS 2012
508007 Kommunikationswissenschaft
Schlagwörter
ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete
Communication
Link zum Portal
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/do-channels-matter-investigating-media-characteristics-in-the-agendabuilding-process-of-an-election-campaign(cbc3a7f6-3ab5-4eee-aadc-910a871aaa05).html