I was in Berlin last week for a study trip.
The International Academy for Leadership (IAF) visiting program of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation brought together Turkish and Greek media scholars and professionals to discuss issues of cooperation, coverage of crises as well as future solutions for their media systems. The program included talks with German media outlets, journalists, scientists, Non-Governmental Organisations, and Government bodies. The IAF visiting program promotes and supports cooperation in various crucial fields for the two countries. I am grateful to our hosts.
It was a dense but productive program. I was excited to visit many major German media outlets and meet with some dear Greek journalists.
One question we were wondering when we visited the media headquarters was how German media reacts to polarization in society.
German media has reported on increasing societal polarization, with heated debates on social media distorting reality.[1] Studies conducted by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and the Bertelsmann Populism Barometer have found that only a minority of people in Germany use social media and that only about two in ten eligible voters remain populist in their views. [1] However, research into online debates surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic has revealed features of political polarization.[2] A study by public broadcasters found that users on Facebook platforms of both mainstream and non-mainstream news outlets displayed ideological polarization.[2]This suggests that while German society is not as polarized as some may think, there is still a divide between those with different political views. The Atlantic has suggested that Germany’s public broadcasting system may be partly responsible for reducing political polarization in the country. [3] Public broadcasting was initially created to promote democratic reeducation and pluralism, but it has since evolved to prevent new forms of disinformation or manipulation.[3] However, studies have also shown that Germans with populist views are more distrustful of public media than other Germans[3][4], indicating that there is still work to be done to reduce polarization.
I agree with this summary above. However, I found our German colleagues a little too confident about Germany’s media system. It is more reliable than the US system, but digital media transforms the scene sooner than expected. The German public is using social media more than ever, and despite more consciousness of privacy and personal data, there is a rise in political trolling and disinformation. I hope they will remain resilient!
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