As EU legislation affects peoples lives in Denmark and other EU countries more and more, the Danish media gives a lower priority to its EU reporting.
Since 2001 the number of Danish correspondents in Bruxelles have dropped by nine according to the Danish magazine for journalists and media professionals, Journalisten.
In its most recent issue the magazine approached the problem of the lack of reporting on the EU which is apparent in Danish media.
By January 1st 2009 the total number of Danish correspondents in Bruxelles was 11.
Besides the low number of Danish journalists in Bruxelles to inform the Danish public on EU affairs, they have less time to actually report on EU legislation.
The Danish correspondents in Bruxelles are not only EU correspondents. They are also European correspondents and have to report on news and affairs in Europe in general.
That was the conclusion by a research project by professor John Frølich at the Danish School of Journalism in Aarhus. He has made interviews with the 10 most experienced Danish correspondents in Bruxelles for his book “Nyheder i nutid” (News in present time).
In the article in Journalisten Danish news editors from Danish national broadcasting company, DR, and one of the national newspapers, Politiken, are honest about the low priority they give to EU reporting and the fact that they fail to meet to journalistic goals of informing the public on matters of importance to them.
The article state reasons such as the assumption by Danish newspaper editors that the Danish public doesn´t care to read about the EU.
The result, according to the article, is that the Danish public doesn´t know about EU affairs. In mid April, only 1 of 6 Danes news about the EP elections in June.
Now that all Danes who can vote in the EP elections have received their personal voting cards in the mail, hopefully more people will actually vote on next Sunday.
With only a week to go before the elections you do see more articles on EU in the Danish newspapers. National newspaper Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten has had a series of articles, the online version of which can be seen here.
However, it remains to be seen what the level of EU reporting in Danish media will be once the EP elections are over.
Link to the original article in Journalisten (in Danish).
(5 votes, average: 3.20 out of 5)
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Sadly, the level of journalism is falling generally. I suppose it’s a mix of financial pressures and perceived marketability.
On a TV debate in my region today (with all of the candidates for the constituency), around 66% of the audience thought that the campaign should be just about European issues. So I think that there’s a market there, at least at election time.
Still, the skills and political contacts needed to cover European issues need to be developed over time, and (from a newspaper’s perspective) why pay a journalist to do it, if you can buy the news from Reuters or Associated Free Press or the like and simply re-write it?
My highly subjective impression from Finland is that the mainstream newspapers have a sense of civic duty to inform the public about EU affairs on a continuing basis and especially ahead of the European Parliament elections.
Many citizens actually express an interest in the European Union, if something or someone prods them. Typically, they say that they should absolutely know more.
But the complex nature of the EU and the slow procedures make it almost impossible to follow for an ordinary citizen. It is a bit like trying to track submarines hiding in th oceans - requires a lot of time and resources.
Despite the good intentions, people tend to go on with their daily lives, leaving the EU at the edges of consciousness along with distant famines and development problems.
Simpler structures, real European leaders competing for our votes and accountable government are the needed solutions to empower citizens and wake up the media.
If people in Europe were interested in the EU, presumably journalists and media professionals would be reporting. Let’s face it, the interest isn’t there.