Wave of Opportunity: Frame Networks of Political Challengers and News Media During a Food Scandal

• In Event: A Potpourri of Framing Research

Abstract

This paper explores the framing of political challengers and their resonance with the media discourse on food safety in the course of a food scandal from two perspectives: First, we examine how challengers in Germany and the UK framed the issue of food safety over time, and compare it with press coverage. We find that in both countries, the scandal leads to a frame contest and de-alignment of challenger and news media discourses. After the scandal, we find higher frame alignment in Germany, while in the UK de-alignment prevails. Second, we investigate how information flowed from challenger websites to media outlets in an online public sphere. In Germany, challengers rather disconnect from media websites during the scandal, while in the UK challengers connect mainly to socioeconomic actors. In both countries, challengers’ issue networks form stable opportunity structures for an online discourse without the news media as major players.

Authors

• Annie Waldherr, U of Muenster

• Lei Guo, Boston U