Media scandal: How reporting distorts reality!

Media scandal: How reporting distorts reality!

In recent years, reporting on important topics in Germany's media landscape has attracted a lot of attention. A current study by the Epos Institute analyzes ZDF's reporting on the today Journal about the DAX between 2017 and 2024 and finds sobering results. As reported by bachhausen.de , more than 1,800 reports were examined and found that the index change was mentioned in a third of the programs. It was noticed that negative changes in the DAX are overrepresented, while positive developments are largely neglected. On average, the DAX rose by 4 points, but the reporting suggested a decrease of 10 points a day.

The phenomenon of the "negativity bias" is not only in the financial sector. Voters in Germany assessed with a pessimistic view of the economic situation, although it is objectively better. This tendency towards negative reporting could also have an impact on other social issues, for example on migration. As the study shows, migration is often presented as a problem, even though it actually promotes economic growth. In 2023, Germany recorded a net immigration of 663,000 people.

one -sided migration reporting

Negative focus on migration also has far -reaching consequences in society. According to neuemedienmacher.de , the German media landscape is often one-sided and stereotype when it comes to the image of people with migration history. The "New German Media Makers e.V." published a guide with ten recommendations for differentiated reporting. Among other things, this includes letting those affected to have their say and critically questioning false information.

In order to improve diversity in reporting, it is also important to consciously use language and images. The focus should not only be on negative aspects; Positive, neutral stories about migration are just as important and should be told regularly. Finally, it remains to be seen that media often do not report sufficiently about the positive contributions of migrants to society.

diversity in the editorial offices

A central point in improving reporting is the diversification of the editorial offices. rise-jugendkultur.de states that in many editorial offices only 4-10% of journalists have a migration background, while for example, every fourth person in Germany has migration history. This leads to a significant discrepancy in the perception and representation of complex social issues.

The majority of the editorial offices are also predominantly 'white', which makes it difficult to change perspective and reduces sensitivity to racist tendencies. Political attitudes and individual socialization of journalists may contribute to discriminatory reporting. It is not only crucial to reduce values, but also to reflect on your own privileges in order to enable a more comprehensive view of topics such as migration and crime.

Overall, it can be seen that the media landscape in Germany needs a profound realignment in order to meet the diversity of society and to promote more realistic and more differentiated reporting.