Negative Coverage Research Articles

Media Portrayal of EU Commission and Its Leaders: A Content Analysis of Spanish Press (1976–2024)

The role of the media is key in mediating civil society and its political representatives in EU institutions. In this context, this paper aims to describe the representation of the European Commission, one of the EU’s most important institutions, and its leaders by two leading Spanish newspapers. In order to address this objective, an automated content analysis was carried out on 13,340 news items published between 6 June 1976 and 15 February 2024 in El País (social democratic media) and ABC (conservative, monarchist media). The sample was subjected to a sentiment analysis as well as topic modeling. The latter method made it possible to identify five predominant issues on the agenda: Economy, Foreign Affairs, Internal Politics, Spanish Politics, and the Future of the EU. The average sentiment, which is close to neutral, has tended slightly toward the negative over the years, although the current president, Ursula von der Leyen, has the highest rating of all the leaders studied. Both El País and ABC provide more negative coverage of the EU when leaders of their ideological opposition govern, a phenomenon that can weaken the European model and encourage political drifts with consequences that are difficult to predict in the medium term.

Targeted for being women and reporting on the presidency: gendered-based violence against female journalists by populists in office

ABSTRACT This study examines the relationship between gender-based violence and the safety of journalists during the age of the populist zeitgeist. It includes an exploratory analysis of the discourses used by Jair Bolsonaro against Brazilian female journalists throughout his presidency. The findings provide evidence of the persistent misogynistic and patriarchal norms and attitudes of right-wing populists, who often target women based on their gender or perceived status to undermine them. The study concludes that Bolsonaro combined derogatory comments about gender and sexuality with attacks on the reputation and morals of female journalists. By leveraging ideologically motivated and culturally entrenched gender stereotypes, he constructed discursive strategies that shaped different identities for Brazilian women journalists. This approach aimed to damage their credibility and obstruct their ability to perform their journalistic duties effectively, especially in the politically complex reporting environment. Additionally, it served as a warning to all journalists—both female and male—who might consider publishing critical or negative coverage of his administration.

Real-time exposure to negative news media and suicidal ideation intensity among LGBTQ young adults in a high-stigma US state

Abstract Background With a recent surge in anti-LGBTQ policies and associated news/media coverage worldwide, there is a crucial need to study the role of LGBTQ negative news/media on proximal risk for suicide among LGBTQ youth, especially in high-stigma contexts. Methods Using a smartphone-based protocol, participants responded to brief self-report surveys 3x per day for 28 consecutive days. LGBTQ young adults (ages 18-24 years old) residing in Tennessee with recent suicidal ideation were recruited. At each assessment, participants reported real-time exposure to negative news/media, whether the news/media was related to LGBTQ topics, expectations of anti-LGBTQ rejection, and current intensity of passive suicidal ideation, active suicidal ideation, and self-harm ideation. Statistical analyses employed multilevel path analyses with restricted maximum likelihood estimation. Results 31 participants completed 2189 assessments (90.5% median compliance). Within-person effects showed that real-time exposure to LGBTQ - but not general - negative news/media was positively associated with suicidal ideation intensity. Significant indirect effects were present from exposure to LGBTQ negative news/media to higher suicidal ideation intensity through expectations of rejection. Mediation through expectations of rejection accounted for 25% and 39% of the total effect for active and passive suicidal ideation, respectively. Conclusions Findings have important public health implications related to media reporting, policy, and clinical intervention. Interventions targeting media organizations should promote responsible reporting practices and increase awareness of the potential suicidogenic impact of negative LGBTQ news coverage. This study joins numerous others in documenting the potential mental health harms of policies that restrict LGBTQ visibility and rights. Mental health professionals play a vital role in promoting coping in the face of exposure to LGBTQ negative news/media content.

Communication of EU agricultural antibiotic use policies to farmers & implications for public health

Abstract Background It is estimated that by 2050, ten million people will die each year from antimicrobial resistant infections. AMR is driven by the improper use of antimicrobials, particularly in agriculture. 73% of the antimicrobials sold globally are used in food-producing animals. Problem EU regulations 2019/6 and 2019/4 on veterinary medications and medicated feed require behavior change by farmers to reduce their antimicrobial use. While this is welcomed by public health professionals, the response of the farming community is more complicated, as these regulations exist within the complex context of the global food system and current political unrest between farmers and the EU. Given the influential role of agricultural media for farmers’ decision making, it is critical to understand how AMR and associated public health and EU policies are being communicated to farmers and how the views of specific stakeholders including farmer representative organizations, veterinary bodies and government regulators are being represented. To examine this problem, a case study content analysis of three major agricultural newspapers in Ireland is undertaken. Results Preliminary results suggest that AMR and AMU have been covered in the agricultural media with specific coverage on these EU policies. This includes negative coverage, with key terms such as “threatens”, “risk”, or “warns”, as well as potentially positive views (e.g. “hope”). Preliminary results also suggest that the agricultural media might be a useful source to identify the farming community’s concerns and reactions to EU policy, for example calls by farmer representative bodies for the national government to intervene. Lessons Public health professionals must recognize the important role of farmers in addressing AMR. Evaluating how EU policies on AMR are represented in the agricultural media can help to better understand how this public health issue and its solutions are being communicated to these important stakeholders. Key messages • Public health professionals must recognize the importance of animal health and the role of farmers in addressing the AMR problem. • It is critical to evaluate how EU policies on AMR and associated One Health issues are communicated to non-public health professionals.

Marital status and the “S” in ESG management

ABSTRACT We analyse the ways CEO marital status and corporate social irresponsibility (CSI) might interact. Firms with married CEOs have lower incidence of negative CSI news coverage. Such firms also tend to have better employee relations and stronger diversity initiatives – employee relations and diversity initiatives are associated with reduced incidence of negative CSI coverage, but only for firms with married CEOs. Results suggest married CEOs foster a work environment that is more conducive to corporate social responsibility. We conclude that marriage is an observable proxy for pro-social behavioural tendencies that manifest in the form of less CSI. Our findings extend the literature on CEO personal characteristics and corporate outcomes.

Impact of Antibiotic Choice at the Time of Sacral Neuromodulation Implantation on Rates of Surgical Site Infection.

To evaluate the efficacy of specific antibiotic regimens in preventing infection following sacral neuromodulation. This is a retrospective cohort study utilizing the Premier Healthcare Database. Patients who underwent sacral neuromodulation placement between January 2016 and March 2020. The patients were grouped by those who received dual antibiotic therapy per 2019 AUA guidelines (Gram positive + broad Gram negative coverage), first- or second-generation cephalosporins or any other regimen. Comparison between groups was performed using Kruskal-Wallis and χ2 tests for continuous and categorical variables, respectively. Inverse probability of treatment weighted (IPTW) analysis was used to estimate the average treatment effect of AUA guidelines regimens versus the use the first- or second-generation cephalosporins alone. The sample included 14 179 patients, with 2211 patients receiving prophylaxis that followed the AUA guideline recommendations. There was no significant difference in surgical site infection rates within 3 months (p = 0.28) or within 12 months (p = 0.53) between the groups. On IPTW, the probability of an infection at 3 months was lower with the AUA guideline regimens compared to those who received first- or second-generation cephalosporins alone, but this difference was not statistically significant (OR = 0.73, 95% CI: [0.43, 1.24]). In the absence of allergies to cephalosporins or penicillin, first- or second-generation cephalosporins alone may be a sufficient preoperative antibiotic regimen for prevention of infection at the time of sacral neuromodulation. Not applicable due to being a database study.

Inter-Candidate Agenda Setting Effect of the 2018 Mexican Presidential Election: Political Party Candidates Vs. an Inde-pendent Candidate

The 2018 Mexican presidential election marked the initiation of a new political communication dynamic in which traditional electoral communication strategies of political parties were challenged by an independent candidate. This study evaluated this innovative electoral setting by examining Telemundo’s electoral coverage of party-affiliated candidates —Anaya Cortés, Meade Kuribreña, and López Obrador— and the independent candidate —Rodríguez Calderón— through agenda setting theory. The data was collected from Telemundo’s national newscast “Noticias Telemundo” with José Díaz Balart during INE’s official 90-day electoral campaign period. The inter-candidate agenda setting effect regarding the horse race topics was strong among the contenders suggesting that Telemundo’s journalists were disseminating the same information regarding party candidates, but the journalists’ reporting differed when covering the independent candidate. Outcomes indicate that there were two dominant political discussions in Telemundo regarding horse race topics, one emerging from all party candidates and the other one from the independent candidate. The inter-candidate agenda setting effect of issues presented strong correlations among all contenders, suggesting that their policy issues news agendas in Telemundo were nearly identical, which could have made it difficult for voters to distinguish among the candidates’ campaign messages. Overall, Rodríguez Calderón challenged parties’ political communication strategies in terms of horse race topics for his ability to disseminate a distinct campaign message in Telemundo despite having acquired the most negative coverage from journalists. But the independent candidate did not represent an opposition for parties regarding issues because his political rhetoric was not dissimilar from the other contenders.

Relationship between Media Coverage and Public Opinion during Political Campaigns in South Africa

Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between media coverage and public opinion during political campaigns in South Africa. Materials and Methods: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: The study indicated that media coverage significantly influences public opinion by shaping perceptions, framing issues, and highlighting particular aspects of candidates and policies. During political campaigns, the media serves as a primary source of information for the electorate, often determining the salience of issues and the prominence of candidates. Extensive and favorable media coverage can enhance a candidate's visibility and credibility, potentially swaying undecided voters and reinforcing the views of supporters. Conversely, negative coverage can damage a candidate's public image and diminish their support base. The framing of news stories, the selection of topics, and the tone of coverage play critical roles in this process. For instance, media emphasis on certain campaign issues can lead to a phenomenon known as agenda-setting, where the public perceives these issues as more important. Additionally, the portrayal of candidates through specific narratives can influence voter perceptions, contributing to the formation of public opinion. The interplay between media coverage and public opinion underscores the media's power in shaping political landscapes and affecting electoral outcomes. Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Agenda-setting theory, framing theory and spiral of silence theory may be used to anchor future studies on assessing the relationship between media coverage and public opinion during political campaigns in South Africa. From a practical standpoint, political campaigns must adopt strategic media engagement to shape public opinion effectively. In terms of policy, there is a pressing need for regulations that promote accountability and transparency in media coverage during political campaigns.

Bond market access and corporate financing decisions: Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment

This study investigates how bond market access affects corporate financing decisions. Employing a difference-in-differences approach based on a reform in China and a sample of listed firms from 2010 to 2020, we find significant increases in bond issuance and bond financing for firms with high ex-ante equity costs. The effect is stronger for firms not audited by Big 4 auditors, having more negative news coverage, and exhibiting less conservative accounting practices. While increasing bond financing, firms decrease bank loans and leave debt ratios unchanged. Our findings indicate that firms hop among financing sources based on market accessibility and capital costs.

Green Inquiry Letter and Corporate Green Innovation

As a form of non-punitive regulatory policy, the inquiry letter has garnered significant attention from academic circles. However, its impact on corporate green innovation has not been fully explored. This study aims to address this gap by examining the influence of green inquiry letters (hereinafter referred to as "green inquiry letters") on corporate green innovation activities based on data from listed companies spanning 2015 to 2022. The findings indicate that green inquiry letters issued by the exchange can effectively promote the green innovation of enterprises, and this conclusion holds true even after conducting a series of robustness tests. Furthermore, in regions with higher levels of pollution and increased public concern, the impact of green inquiry letters is particularly pronounced. Mechanism analysis reveals that green inquiry letters lead to a significant increase in both pollution charges and negative news coverage for enterprises, thereby facilitating their transition towards environmentally-friendly practices. Overall, it is evident that green inquiry letters stimulate green innovation by heightening regulatory pressure and non-compliance costs faced by companies. This underscores the crucial role played by these letters in enterprise supervision and provides valuable insights for enhancing securities market regulation mechanisms.

Media coverage of food safety and expenditures for food away from home: empirical evidence from China’s family panel studies

PurposeThis study explores whether media coverage of Chinese food safety guide consumer behaviour and determines its impact.Design/methodology/approachUsing data from the China Family Panel Studies, this study implements unsupervised machine learning methods to quantitatively identify themes in news media coverage of food safety across various provinces and regions. Based on these findings, this study examines the impact of coverage of food safety on consumer behaviour related to FAFH.FindingsWe find that media coverage of food safety in the restaurant sector significantly decreases household expenditure on FAFH relative to total expenditure. While negative coverage substantially decreases expenditure on FAFH, non-negative coverage significantly increases it. Reports of food safety incidents outside consumers’ province are negatively correlated with expenditure on FAFH, whereas reports within province significantly increases such spending. Further, the negative impact of media coverage on FAFH spending is less pronounced among higher-income families, households headed by individuals with high educational levels and those with low sensitivity to newspaper information. A robust government information infrastructure also mitigates this negative impact.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings have important policy reference value for promoting the healthy development of catering and other life services by improving news reporting and the regulatory system.Originality/valueThis article employs machine learning methods to identify news reports related to food safety in the catering industry quantitatively and incorporates them into the study of household consumption in China. Consequently, this not only fills a gap in the existing literature but also provides a new perspective for interdisciplinary research in economics, sociology and computer science.

Does negative political coverage affect the completion of cross-border mergers and acquisitions—Evidence from BRICS in the US market

High-quality implementation of cross-border mergers and acquisitions (cross-border M&As) is an important pathway for emerging-market multinational enterprises (EMNEs) to enhance their international competitiveness. However, in comparison to developed countries, cross-border M&As by EMNEs are often prohibited by the liability of origin caused by negative political coverage. How and why negative political coverage affect the completion of cross-border M&As by EMNEs? What are the contextual constraints that moderate the impact of negative political coverage on cross-border M&As completion? Based on the “liability of origin” theory, this paper addresses these questions using data from the Zephyr database on cross-border M&As by EMNEs in the United States from 2016 to June 2021 and employing a logit model for estimation. The research findings are as follows: (1) Negative political coverage leads to negative perceptions of emerging market countries by host country stakeholders, creating the liability of origin and stigmatizing the corporate nationality, thereby reducing the success rate of cross-border M&As by EMNEs. (2) Increasing geographical distance leads to information asymmetry, reinforcing the negative impact of negative political coverage on the completion of cross-border M&As by EMNEs. (3) Relevant mergers and acquisitions exacerbate the negative effect of negative political coverage on the success rate of cross-border M&As by EMNEs. (4) Being a publicly traded firm and having successful experience in cross-border M&As both intensify the negative impact of negative political coverage on the success rate of cross-border M&As by EMNEs.

Representing austerity: Baby Banks and news media

AbstractRising levels of hardship since the introduction of austerity have rendered essential items unaffordable for many on low incomes with young children. Baby Banks—organisations freely providing essential items and equipment to those with, or expecting, a baby or young infant—have grown. These organisations have received little academic attention and much of what is known about them comes from news media coverage. News media plays a critical role in raising public awareness, shaping public attitudes, and influencing policy formation. Drawing on 384 news articles, this paper explores the scale and nature of news article coverage of Baby Banks between 2009 and 2022 using sentiment analysis and topic modelling. Through employing these approaches, our research adds quantitative evidence to extant work on news media coverage under austerity. Our results show that the number of articles written about Baby Banks has grown since 2009, with peaks in coverage during the COVID‐19 pandemic in 2020, potentially reflecting the growing need for these organisations. While sentiment towards Baby Banks within news articles has predominantly been positive, since 2019 there has been a rise in negative coverage due to an increase in articles critical of the growing number of people requiring Baby Banks. Alongside discussions of political changes driving rising hardship, prominent underpinning narratives in articles have included charitable appeals for donations, praise for community work, the royal family, and mothers. By focusing on the sentiment and key discussions around Baby Banks, our research extends understandings of media coverage under austerity.

How Negative Media Coverage Impacts Platform Governance: Evidence from Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube

ABSTRACT Social media companies wield considerable power over what people can say and do online, with consequences for freedom of expression and participation in digital culture. Yet we still know little about the factors that shape these companies’ policy decisions. Drawing on data collected from mainstream English-language news sources between 2005-2021 and on a novel dataset of policy documents from the Platform Governance Archive (PGA), we investigate the extent to which policy change at Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube is responsive to negative news coverage. We find that sustained negative coverage significantly predicts changes to platforms’ user policies, highlighting the role of public pressure in shaping the governance of online platforms.

Ethnicity and gentrification. Exploring the real estate's perspective on the revaluation of a "dangerous" street in Leipzig (Germany)

The relationship between ethnicity and gentrification is understudied. However, it is a highly relevant albeit paradoxical relationship where upgrading due to “multiculturalism” and “authenticity” might be paralleled by discrimination and displacement. This paper takes up the case of Leipzig’s Eisenbahnstrasse as an arrival space with one of the highest shares of foreigners in East Germany. The media has labeled Eisenbahnstrasse as “Germany’s most dangerous street”. Simultaneously, considerable dynamics on the housing market are observed that add to the juxtaposition between medial perception and real estate. Our paper takes up this paradoxical situation and investigates the role of ethnicity on Leipzig’s Eisenbahnstrasse, seen from the supply side of real estate, which is an often neglected perspective. By means of qualitative interviews with local stakeholders, our aim is to understand their role in the revaluation process, and how ethnicity is linked to this process. Our findings reveal a gap between the predominantly negative news coverage and the neighborhood’s actual values from the real estate perspective. According to the interviewees, the image of the Eisenbahnstrasse prevents families from moving to the area but attracts students and artists who cherish the international atmosphere in the area. In this context, ethnicity plays a crucial but ambiguous role in the revaluation process. This paper also reveals how discrimination on the housing market takes place, and how real estate stakeholders construct ethnicity and apply strategies to promote a revaluation, which they consider as social mixing. Therefore, we present further evidence of the ongoing processes on Leipzig’s Eisenbahnstrasse and provide insights into the complex relationship between gentrification and ethnicity.

Examining Biases in ABS-CBN Online News: A Framing Analysis of Reporting about President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

ABS-CBN, a leading media entity in the Philippines, has often found itself embroiled in controversies surrounding accusations of bias, particularly in its coverage of President Ferdinand "Bong-Bong" Marcos Jr., commonly known as BBM. Various entities have often criticized the media for exaggeration, framing, and misinformation, whereas others have praised the media for fulfilling an informative and educational function for the public. To address this dilemma, this study specifically examined its linguistic devices and language bias to discern patterns of news framing. This was done using the Linguistic Devices Analytical Framework, the Epistemological and Framing Bias Tool, and Goffman's Theory of Framing. Findings reveal the exclusion of the inclusive language 'we,' and language bias reveals linguistic devices, such as factive verbs, entailments, assertive verbs, subjective intensifiers, and one-sided terms. With the interplay of these outcomes, ABS-CBN headlines exhibit a combination of positive, negative, and neutral news coverage, which aligns with the norms of balanced reporting, essential for audiences to understand the story from various perspectives. Generally, findings reveal an impartial framing of news headlines. Future research may conduct a longitudinal study with a comprehensive dataset of news headlines to explore the media’s intentions revealed through framing strategies.

How cheap talk in climate disclosures relates to climate initiatives, corporate emissions, and reputation risk

Navigating the complex landscape of corporate climate disclosures and their real impacts is crucial for managing climate-related financial risks. However, current disclosures oftentimes suffer from imprecision, inaccuracy, and greenwashing. We introduce ClimateBertCTI, a deep learning algorithm, to identify climate-related cheap talk in MSCI World index firms’ annual reports. We find that only targeted climate engagement is associated with less cheap talk. Voluntary climate disclosures are associated with more cheap talk. Moreover, cheap talk correlates with increased negative news coverage and higher emissions growth. Hence, cheap talk helps assess climate initiatives’ effectiveness and anticipate reputation and transition risk exposure.

Views from the other side

The study explores the perspectives of political parties regarding news media coverage in election campaigns. By analyzing official post-election analyses produced by Swedish political parties from 2010 to 2022, the study offers a novel approach to the study of political party views of news media. The findings largely support the arguments proposed by mediatization literature, highlighting the significance of media in party communication. Parties display eagerness to attract positive media attention while expressing regret over inadequate or negative publicity. More surprisingly, there is a lack of references to media bias in the reports, suggesting that the hostile media effect is not a major concern among Swedish parties. Despite criticisms related to irrelevant reporting and perceived negative coverage, party perceptions towards the media remains predominantly neutral. The study contributes to the understanding of the complex relationship between political parties and news media in the context of election campaigns.

High-quality assurance, ESG legitimacy threats and board effectiveness

This study aims to investigate whether companies engage high-quality assurance in response to legitimacy threats caused by media coverage of negative sustainability events. Since responsive strategies designed to maintain or repair legitimacy directly emanate from boards, the paper also analyses whether board effectiveness reinforces defensive strategies to maintain a company's reputational capital and public image under environmental, social and governance (ESG) concerns by supporting high-quality sustainability assurance. Using a sample of STOXX Europe 600 index firms from 2015 to 2020, the empirical results confirm the substantive role of assurance. When a company's legitimacy is at risk due to media coverage of ESG misconduct, the assurance of sustainability information is employed as an instrument to aid in repairing the company's legitimacy. In addition, our results confirm that boards with desirable attributes of independence and activity act jointly with assurance quality to legitimise companies. In addition, this paper also brings evidence about the mediating effect of board effectiveness; the impact of negative media ESG coverage on sustainability assurance quality appears to be justified by the effectiveness of the board. The evidence also points to interesting findings concerning controversial industries and countries with tight cultures, where the assurance quality seems not to respond to the legitimacy threats associated with media coverage of undesirable ESG. However, and after studying how the European Directive 2014/95/EU affected the symbolic use of assurance, results confirm that there are no significant differences in the legitimising use of assurance quality after irresponsible ESG actions before and after the directive, and neither, depending on the level of sustainability performance or public enforcement.

The Factors that Trigger the Chinese Youth Participation in Secondary Crisis Communication

In today’s generation, there are billions of individuals around the globe who tend to use social media daily to stay connected with information around the world. Therefore, social media has indirectly increased the online participation and communication of audiences. Thus, social media has become a platform that enables organisations to communicate with the public efficiently. Nevertheless, social media has brought severe impacts to the organisations because it has provided a platform for the public to become more active in joining the discussion about the crises and resulting in negative coverage in the media and financial loss. Consumer boundaries have become invisible and communication has become increasingly instantaneous, power has shifted from the organisations to the consumers. As a result, consumer-generated content and media play an important role in shaping the existing market. Therefore, the objective of this study is to identify the factors that trigger the Chinese youth’s participation in secondary crisis communication (SCC). Furthermore, it also examines the frequency of Chinese youth participation in SCC. The respondents are Chinese youth within the age group of 15 to 30 years old in Ipoh Perak. 100 respondents have participated in this research. This study is conducted by using a quantitative research approach with a survey questionnaire method and a purposive sampling method. The data was analysed by using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings revealed that all variables (brand loyalty, popularity of brand, and personal fame) are the factors that trigger the Chinese youth participation in SCC.