Abstract
This article investigates the relationship between media framing of immigration issues and public opinion formation in Western European democracies, with a focus on Germany, France, and the Netherlands. At a time of heightened public debate around immigration and integration, we examine how mainstream and social media construct narratives about immigration that shape public attitudes and policy preferences.
Key Findings
The analysis demonstrates significant cross-national variation in media framing of immigration. German media during the pre-2015 period employed predominantly economic frames, French media favoured security and cultural frames, while Dutch media displayed a more polarised mix of humanitarian and threat-based narratives. In all three countries, media framing was found to significantly correlate with public opinion trends, though the relationship was mediated by political context, media system characteristics, and audience demographics.
Methodology
The study combines automated content analysis of over 25,000 news articles from major newspapers and online news sources (2012-2015) with representative public opinion surveys in each country. Regression analysis examines the relationship between media frame exposure and attitude formation.
Implications
The findings underscore the important role of media in shaping the discursive environment in which immigration policy is debated, and call for greater attention to media literacy and responsible journalism in the coverage of migration issues.
