Pressepolitik nach Gutsherrenart: Sarkozy und die Medien

Abstract

"Drei Faktoren kennzeichnen das Verhältnis zwischen Nicolas Sarkozy und den Medien. Erstens versucht er das französische Presserecht zu nutzen, das die Herausbildung eines Journalismus fördert, der sich weithin an der Regierungsmeinung orientiert, um seine eigene Position zu stärken. Das dadurch noch verstärkte Spannungsverhältnis zwischen Sarkozy-freundlichen und oppositionellen Medien wird, zweitens, aufgrund seines persönlichen Auftretens, seiner bisweilen provozierenden Wortwahl und seiner polarisierenden Reformpolitik weiter fortbestehen. Die chronische Finanzschwäche der französischen Medien schwächt, drittens, die Unabhängigkeit und Qualität der Berichterstattung." (Autorenreferat)

"Three factors characterize the interrelation between Nicolas Sarkozy and the media: Firstly, the press law is in favor of a journalism largely oriented towards the government line, as was already the case before Sarkozy's election as president. This type of journalism provokes oppositional media and furthers the media taking political sides. After Sarkozy’s election the amount of partial reporting rose. The longer the president's mandate continues the more this chasm will close - it will not, however, disappear altogether. Secondly, the tense relationship between Sarkozy and some media and among the media themselves will continue. Sarkozy's demeanor, his occasionally provoking diction and his polarizing reform policy as well as his publicly displayed closeness to the biggest owners of media guarantee that. This problem will become most evident with the publicly owned radio and TV stations, whose directors in the future to a large extent will be chosen by the Elysée. The structural financial weakness of the media, especially of the Parisian newspapers, who are often in situations of life or death, is the third factor weakening the independence and quality of reporting." (author's abstract)