Shameless normalization as a result of media control: The case of Austria

Abstract

Far-right populist parties instrumentalize the media and intervene into processes of mediatization in significantly different ways, depending on socio-political contexts, their position of power, their role in government or opposition and – related to the latter – their specific access to media. In this paper, I focus on one of the many ways propagandistic tools are employed to control the relevant agenda and information being disseminated by both traditional media and online, in other words ‘message control’. Message control illustrates one of many steps of normalization of far-right agenda. The concept of ‘message control’ emerged from the specific propaganda tool developed by the former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and his followers and implies launching and thus controlling select information via weekly press conferences, briefings, personal conversations, back-ground conversations ( Hintergrundgespräche), and text messages, and to financially subsidize only those media that reported favorably about the activities of Kurz’s government. Thus, a new media logic based on favoritism, nepotism, and clientelism was established and normalized. This stands in contrast to Trumpism, which delegitimized all investigative journalism without explicitly attempting to control it. Former US President Donald Trump constitutes rather a prime example of Löwenthal and Guterman’, as he instrumentalized far-right and extreme-right media channels (such as Breitbart or Fox News) and extensively used Twitter to spread systematic disinformation.

Analyzing the shift to the far right: the Austrian case

“…). This stands in contrast to Trumpism, which delegitimized all investigative journalism without explicitly attempting to control it (Wodak 2022 ). 3…”

“…In fact, Luke Cooper ( 2021 , 7) argues that “once authoritarian forces gain a foothold, they are hard to dislodge. Financial resources can be raised from supporters and access to the mainstream media assured (Wodak 2022 ). Even when authoritarians are outside of government, they can assert a strong hold on political culture as an opposition bloc and threat to the status quo.” Indeed, illiberal practices have become normalized, employed by conservative parties and their autocratically minded leaders.…”

“…eu/ artic le/ house-of-sebas tian-kurz/ (accessed September 10, 2021). 6 See Wodak (2022) for a detailed discussion of Walton's model. 7 See http:// kontr ast.…”

“…A new media logic based on favoritism, nepotism, and clientelism was established and normalized (Pilz 2021), like Hungarian Prime Minister's Viktor Orbán's attack on all independent media in Hungary (Wodak 2021, 227ff.). This stands in contrast to Trumpism, which delegitimized all investigative journalism without explicitly attempting to control it (Wodak 2022). 3 Before analyzing massage control in more detail, I will first point to the violation of norms and values, the shameless normalization of previously tabooed agendas, and the shifting of the boundaries of the unsayable as a strategic facilitator and predictable consequence of message control.…”

“… 3 See Wodak ( 2022 ) where Trumpism and Trump’s media logic are contrasted in much detail to Kurz’ ‘message control’; there, a range of empirical examples is provided. …”