The book “EU-valen i medierna: svensk nyhetsrapportering 1995-2024” (The EU Elections in the Media: Swedish News Reporting 1995-2024) analyzes how the coverage of EU elections in Swedish media has evolved over past three decades. The author, Bengt Johansson, looks at what gets the most attention in the news, how ratings shape coverage, and what happens when scandals are given more space than long-term political issues. The report also asks whether Swedes’ increasingly positive attitudes towards EU membership are reflected in how the media reports on Europe.
Key trends over time
According to Bengt Johansson, several key factors in the journalism landscape emerged from the analysis of the three-decade period. The study found that while EU elections have consistently been treated as second-rate, political scandals have gained the spotlight with both media coverage and engaged audience attention. A major trend also identified in the report is the growing prominence of journalists in political coverage.
– There are several trends, but what increases significantly is the visibility of journalists in the reporting, regardless of the indicator used. This is not unique for EU-reporting but mirrors a general trend in political journalism, says Bengt Johansson.
He emphasizes that the book shows the critical importance of long-term research.
– We tend to forget quickly. This study shows how vital systematic, comparative research over time is for accurately interpreting societal and journalistic development.
Presentation online
The Institute for Media Studies will host an online seminar to present the book’s findings on October 2, at 9 a.m.
The author, Professor Bengt Johansson (JMG), will be joined by a panel of experts for a discussion:
- Theresa Küchler, EU Correspondent
- Michael Kucera, SVT
- Fredrik Sjögren, Confederation of Swedish Enterprise
The discussion will be moderated by Ulrika Beck-Friis, Director of the Institute for Media Studies. Sign up here.
Text: Luiza Lafuente Woellner Dos Santos
More information
Read more about Bengt Johansson and his research here: https://www.gu.se/en/about/find-staff/bengtjohansson
