Three Models of the European Public Sphere

Abstract

While previous research has taken into account different normative theories when examining the concept of the public sphere at the national level, the underlying normative conceptualisation of the European public sphere has often remained vague. However, better understanding whether the European public sphere is functional and able to fulfil its democratic role needs further specification of the underlying normative criteria. This study considers different normative public sphere theories in the context of the European Union (EU) news coverage. Specifically, it focuses on one main criterion, namely the actor structure, and examines which normative theory is able to describe the actor structure of the EU best. The visibility of national and European governmental actors, civil society actors and citizens is examined by drawing on secondary data of a large-scale content analysis of television and newspaper articles of all 27 EU member states gathered during the 2009 European Parliament election campaign (N = 12,850).KEYWORDS content analysis; democratic theory; EU news; European public sphere Journalism Studies, 2015 http://dx.

Um contributo para o debate sobre a redefinição da esfera pública em rede a partir da participação pública dos portugueses no ciberespaço

“…Habermas (1998) fala de um sistema de comunicação entre Estado e sociedade civil (Habermas, 1998), numa definição que é abraçada por autores como Gerhards e Neidhardt (1991) que aludem a um sistema comunicacional capaz de fazer a mediação entre cidadãos e sistema governativo. Neste processo de mediação, e segundo a abordagem normativa de esfera pública, vários autores (Ahva, 2011, p. 1;Walter, 2015) observam o papel determinante do jornalismo e dos jornalistas que definem o que é noticiado e quem participa na cobertura mediática.…”

“…Por contraponto, o enquadramento agencial, mais disruptivo e associado à nova esfera pública global em rede, sugere que os cidadãos constituem o grupo de comunicadores mais importante na determinação de qualquer esfera pública, num modelo que se centra numa participação contínua dos cidadãos e que tem como base o facto de todos os cidadãos serem os especialistas da sua própria vida e dos seus interesses (Walter, 2015).…”

Communicating the EU in Europhile and Eurosceptic Spaces: An Examination of European Parliament Information Offices in the Republic of Ireland and Greece

“…The EPS is a primarily theoretical concept which, as will be argued here, appears to be anchored in a replication of national spheres and their role in domestic politics, supranationally and specifically across the European Union. In response to criticisms on the lack of accountability of the European institutions and even beyond that, the need for a common forum of news analysis and debates across EU member states has often been highlighted (Marquand ,1979;Follesdal & Hix, 2006;Weiler, Haltern & Mayer, 1995;Statham, 2008;Preston, 2009;Walter, 2015b). This European Public Sphere could arise through the actions of various actors and in several different forms, but most scenarios do involve some form of the "Europeanisation of the national public spheres" (Brüggemann, 2005, p. 58).…”

“…For Brüggemann (2005), such a process would involve moving national media, civil society organisations, possibly political parties, and any other actor involved in public fora domestically, to a pan-European context where there would be the same debates on issues, the same pressure groups towards legislature, and the same media and journalists ensuring political accountability of decision-making. Walter (2015b) argues that an EPS would involve all those elements, yet she also highlights the fact that for an EPS to take effect not all of those actors need to get involved at the European level immediately, but in stages. She also underlines that any resulting public sphere throughout the EU could have several different forms, ranging from a liberal one where all social interests are proportionally represented, to a participatory public sphere which would maximise every citizen's involvement, without at the same time involving them at every aspect of decision-making.…”

“…For that to be achieved, several authors have argued that the media have a significant responsibility to try connecting national public spheres and thus bring their audiences into a European level of newscasting, instead of seeing every issue solely through a national lens (Follesdal & Hix, 2006;Weiler, Haltern & Mayer, 1995;Statham, 2008;Preston, 2009;Walter, 2015b). Specifically, with regard to news coverage, De Vreese et al (2006) claim that "a European public sphere should reflect national media reporting on the same topic using common sources, including EU sources and sources from other EU countries" (p. 479).…”