BDF study finds limited and stable EU coverage in French press
A Banque de France study using automated text analysis shows that French press coverage of European Union issues has remained limited and stable over the past two decades, primarily peaking during European election periods. Local newspapers, unlike national ones, focus more on concrete EU initiatives, generally presenting them in a positive light.
Two Decades of Limited EU Focus
The Banque de France study, utilizing automated text analysis and a large language model, analyzed nearly 400,000 articles on European affairs published between January 2005 and June 2023 across approximately 100 French local and national newspapers.
The analysis reveals a consistent pattern: on average, less than 1 percent of articles published monthly primarily feature the EU.
Significant peaks in coverage were observed around the May 2005 referendum on the European Constitution and during European election periods, with increasing interest in the latter.
However, major European events such as the Brexit referendum, the 2015 refugee crisis, and the 2020 NextGenerationEU programme did not attract substantial media attention.
This limited coverage aligns with previous findings on European issues in other media.
Local Focus, National Crises
The study identified key topics covered by the press, with political parties and European elections being the most frequent.
Educational and cultural exchanges, particularly the Erasmus programme, and agricultural topics related to the Common Agricultural Policy ranked second and third.
Other significant topics included recent crises such as migration, the euro area crisis, Brexit, and the invasion of Ukraine.
Notably, issues directly concerning central banks, financial institutions, and the euro accounted for less than 10 percent of the total coverage.
Local newspapers showed a greater interest in concrete EU initiatives like cultural exchanges and agriculture, with around 70 percent of articles on educational exchanges originating from the local press.
Critical Lens, Limited Impact
The study confirms a relatively critical tone in the French press towards the EU, especially at the national level, which likely hinders public understanding of broader EU functions beyond crises.
The consistent focus on elections and concrete local initiatives, while positive, suggests a disconnect from the complex policy-making processes.
This limited and often negative framing could impact public trust in European institutions and decision-makers over time.