How Important is Science as a Croatian Daily Press Topic? An Analysis of Media Coverage of Science in 2012 in Jutarnji list, Večernji list, Slobodna Dalmacija and Novi list

• Published in: Medijske studije Vol. 5; no. 10; pp. 36 - 50
• Main Authors: Blanka Jergović, Anđelka Raguž
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb 01.12.2014
• Subjects: daily press; media; news selection; reporting; science; sources of information
• ISSN: 1847-9758; 1848-5030

This paper investigates the media coverage of science in the Croatian daily press, using data from a content analysis that applies quantitative analysis to articles published during 2012 (N=238). Our sample consists of 4 main dailies, Jutarnji list, Večernji list, Slobodna Dalmacija and Novi list. The prime interest is in the trends concerning media coverage on science regarding criteria and news selection procedures, as well as trends in using sources of information. The analysis shows a latent, but permanent interest in science in the Croatian daily press. Science is presented in different sections, including sections on politics and those sections related to entertainment and lifestyle. The coverage primarily focuses on international, and to a lesser extent, scientific projects related to Croatian science. Reports on science are mostly presented in news or reports, mainly pages that are not very prominent. Our analysis shows that articles about science in 2012 were mostly affirmative, shifting the focus of the Croatian daily press from medical and biomedicine sciences to the humanities and social sciences, which were covered to a fuller extent. On the other hand, the media’s interest in the natural sciences increased slightly over the examined period.