The European Union representation in Spanish media

Abstract

Introduction: Spain's gradual integration into the European Union through the development of institutions and economic and structural changes is intrinsic to the construction of a pro-European public opinion in which the media have actively participated. Objectives: This research aims to analyse the topics disseminated by the leading Spanish media to detect how the EU is represented in these themes, determine the main, adjacent and counter-discourses and find out the degree of North/South polarisation. Methodology: By content analysis and critical discourse analysis, this paper studies 543 units from the Spanish media El País, El Confidencial, ABC, El Diario.es, RTVE and Antena 3 from July 2021 to March 2022. Discussion and conclusion: Following the methodological application, the results obtained allow us to conclude that the construction of Europeanisation in the Spanish media is constructed about specific issues, and after an in-depth analysis of the energy issue, we can affirm that media coverage is neutral in general terms. Europeanisation is presented from a role with the greater weight of Spain in the common project than in previous historical stages presented in the introduction to this paper. Likewise, there is a certain unanimity in the Spanish media, both in the thematic selection and in the actors who are given a voice in the information, as well as in the pre-European construction of public opinion, regardless of their editorial line.