A Framework for Comparing Election News Coverage Around the World

Abstract

The histories of election research and political communication research have been closely intertwined ever since the end of World War II. According to Blumler and McQuail (2001, pp. 216218), six reasons for this state of affairs can be identifi ed. First, elections are spurring ”continual innovation and development in the strategic organization and conduct of political communication” by political parties and candidates. Second, elections are convenient benchmarks for charting trends over time, not least with regards to how the media cover elections. Third, “elections provide opportunities to study the roles in political communication of major innovations in media formats,” such as political debates and political advertising. Fourth, election campaigns are very suitable with regards to cross-national and comparative political communication research. Fifth, new theories can and often have been pioneered in the context of election campaigns. Finally, empirical data collected during election campaigns contribute to the debate surrounding different notions of citizenship and the quality of democracy. This is not surprising when one considers how important elections are from both a practical and a normative point of view.

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