Media effects on policy preferences toward free movement: evidence from five EU member states. Issue 15 (18th November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Meltzer, Christine E.; Eberl, Jakob-Moritz; Theorin, Nora; Heidenreich, Tobias; Strömbäck, Jesper; Boomgaarden, Hajo G.; Schemer, Christian
• Is Part Of: Journal of ethnic and migration studies. Volume 47:Issue 15(2021)
• Page Start: 3390
• Page End: 3408
• Publication Date: 2021-11-18
• Subjects: Europe -- migration -- media effects -- freedom of movement; Ethnic relations -- Periodicals; Race relations -- Periodicals; Emigration and immigration -- Periodicals; Assimilation (Sociology) -- Periodicals; 305.8005
• DOI: 10.1080/1369183X.2020.1778454
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1369-183X

Abstract

ABSTRACT: In a time when freedom of movement is being challenged by an increasing number of European Union member states, and where immigration has been dominating public debate for years, this study investigates the effects (i.e. frame salience and frame sentiment) of migration news on individuals' attitudes about free movement. We are taking into account respondents individual media diet by linking a two-wave online survey in five European countries ( n = 7, 794) with an automated content analysis of online news coverage in these countries ( n = 26, 696). Findings indicate that overall the salience of specific frames (i.e. labour market and security), as well as sentiment, positively influence free movement attitudes among citizens. However, there are country-specific differences for both salience and sentiment effects. These findings have implications for our understanding of media effects on immigration attitudes and policy preferences as well as for comparative media effects research in general.