Media logic and electoral democracy

Over het Proefschrift

Concerns about media logic are a topic of public and scholarly debate. Media logic refers to news values and storytelling techniques which media use because it fits their format and attracts news consumers. This dissertation studies media logic in the context of Dutch election campaigns. It examines media logic over time and it measures its effect on two problems of electoral democracy: high numbers of switching and floating voters, and voting based on opinions' about party leaders.

The studies are based on detailed content analyses and panel studies, which were conducted during five Dutch election campaigns (1998 - 2010).
This dissertation shows that concerns about media logic are only partly justified. News coverage determined by media logic has a negative effect on the functioning of electoral democracy. Yet the role of media logic on campaign coverage has recently become smaller. Media Logic has a negative effect on electoral democracy but its impact decreases.

Over de auteur:

Dr. Janet Takens has written her dissertation on media logic at the VU University in Amsterdam. During her PhD research she spend a year at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, studying mediated public diplomacy. She studied Policy, Communication and Organisation at the VU University and International Public Law at the University of Amsterdam. She currently works as communication advisor for the Dutch Ministry of Security and Justice.