Europe's Communication Deficit and the UK Press: Framing the Greek Financial Crisis

• Published in: Journal of contemporary European studies Vol. 21; no. 2; pp. 175 - 189
• Main Authors: Touri, Maria, Rogers, Shani Lynn
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 01.06.2013; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Allegations; Communication; crisis; Debt crisis; Deficits; Economic Crises; Economic crisis; Europe; Euroscepticism; Financial crisis; Frame analysis; Great Britain; Greece; Journalists; Mass media; Mass media effects; Media coverage; news framing; News media; Politics; Press; Professional practice; Public Debt; Stereotypes; United Kingdom; United Kingdom > UK; Europe
• ISSN: 1478-2804; 1478-2790
• DOI: 10.1080/14782804.2013.815462

As Europe's leaders battle to solve the Eurozone debt crisis, Europe's 'communication deficit' becomes ever more pertinent. So does the role of national media, which, in the case of Britain, are often accused of fuelling Euroscepticism among the public. This study aims to contribute to this debate and explore the UK media's performance in the early stages of the Greek financial crisis. We address how the British press makes sense of Europe through an issue that pertains in a small economy but entails risks for the whole of Europe; and we ask to what extent this coverage conforms to the allegation that European politics is portrayed through domesticised media frames and polemical language. Although our findings validate existing concerns pertaining to journalists' professional practices that shape the reporting of Europe, they also show evidence of an effort made by British newspapers-albeit mostly broadsheets-to overcome stereotypical interpretations.