Potentials and Pitfalls of Potentials and Pitfalls of Comparative ResearchComparative Research

Kees BrantsKees Brants

University of Milano Summer School University of Milano Summer School Milano, July 18, 2012Milano, July 18, 2012

Why comparative research?Why comparative research?

Academic curiosity (country choice coincidental)Academic curiosity (country choice coincidental) Favoured by (EU) research councilsFavoured by (EU) research councils Finding solutions for your own country’s Finding solutions for your own country’s issueissuess Learning about your own countryLearning about your own country Learning and understanding cross-cultural similarities Learning and understanding cross-cultural similarities

and differencesand differences Allows for contextualised, explanatory inferences about Allows for contextualised, explanatory inferences about

systems and groups of countriessystems and groups of countries

Pitfalls of comparative researchPitfalls of comparative research-- surveys: translating questions; single questionsurveys: translating questions; single question

- content analysis: sameness of media, conceptscontent analysis: sameness of media, concepts

- system analysis: assuming your system is ‘better’ system analysis: assuming your system is ‘better’ than othersthan others

- comparing by juxtapositioncomparing by juxtaposition

- law in books and law in actionlaw in books and law in action

- conceptual differences (functional equivalents)conceptual differences (functional equivalents)

- anglo-american biasanglo-american bias

- ignoring the cultural context of country/systemignoring the cultural context of country/system

Prerequisites for comparative Prerequisites for comparative researchresearch

Rid yourself of the notion that one system is ‘better’ than Rid yourself of the notion that one system is ‘better’ than another (not being judgemental)another (not being judgemental)

Have the competency to fully understand other system Have the competency to fully understand other system (cross-cultural research teams)(cross-cultural research teams)

Take into account as many explanatory system Take into account as many explanatory system characteristics and variables as possiblecharacteristics and variables as possible

Base choice on theoretically funded explanatory variables Base choice on theoretically funded explanatory variables Define clearly what units should be comparedDefine clearly what units should be compared Choose ‘most similar’ or ‘most different’ strategyChoose ‘most similar’ or ‘most different’ strategy

Models of media systemsModels of media systems(Hallin & Mancini(Hallin & Mancini))

Liberal Liberal

modelmodel

Democratic PolarizedDemocratic Polarized

corporatist pluralistcorporatist pluralist

Media (news-Media (news-paper) marketspaper) markets

Medium mass Medium mass circulation, circulation, commercial commercial

High, early Low circulation, High, early Low circulation, mass elite mass elite orientedoriented

circulationcirculation

Political Political parallelism parallelism

Professional-Professional-ization ization

LowLow

Strong, non-inst Strong, non-inst

self-regulationself-regulation

High High (plusHigh High (plus

clientelism)clientelism)

Strong + inst. Weak Strong + inst. Weak

self-regulationself-regulation

State State intervention in intervention in media systemmedia system

Market Market dominateddominated

Strong state Strong stateStrong state Strong state

intervention interventionintervention intervention

Group assignmentsGroup assignmentsTopicsTopics

Professionalization of electoral campaign Professionalization of electoral campaign communicationcommunication

Auditing media democracyAuditing media democracy Personalization in political advertisingPersonalization in political advertising Controlling the political TV-interviewControlling the political TV-interview Politicians using social mediaPoliticians using social media Americanization of political communication in country Americanization of political communication in country

XX Negative campaigningNegative campaigning

Group assignmentsGroup assignments

QuestionsQuestions

1. What would you focus on (research question)1. What would you focus on (research question)2. What countries would you choose and why2. What countries would you choose and why3. What are units of analysis and central concepts and how 3. What are units of analysis and central concepts and how

operationalisedoperationalised4. What is surplus value of comparison4. What is surplus value of comparison5. What pitfalls do you envisage 5. What pitfalls do you envisage 6. How could you overcome them6. How could you overcome them

Other comparative taxonomies and typologiesOther comparative taxonomies and typologies

Typology of broadcasting systemsTypology of broadcasting systems(McQuail & Brants)(McQuail & Brants)

Ideal types Public ServiceIdeal types Public Service Private/commercialPrivate/commercial

CharacteristicsCharacteristics

Historical structure MonopolyHistorical structure Monopoly Competition CompetitionFinancingFinancing License fee License fee Advertising AdvertisingMissionMission Cultural pedagogy Profit Cultural pedagogy Profit maximizationmaximizationAccountable toAccountable to Public, government Shareholders Public, government ShareholdersPoliticizationPoliticization Depend/autonomy Indep./disinterest Depend/autonomy Indep./disinterestProgramsPrograms Quality & range Quality & range Entertainment EntertainmentAudience concept CitizensAudience concept Citizens Consumers ConsumersRegulationRegulation High level High level Low level Low level

Ideal typical logics in political communicationIdeal typical logics in political communication(Brants & Van Praag)(Brants & Van Praag)

partisan logicpartisan logic public logicpublic logic media logic media logicMedia identify withMedia identify with partyparty public goodpublic good public public Public addressed asPublic addressed as subjectsubject citizencitizen consumer consumerRole journalismRole journalism dependentdependent independent, independent, dominant, enter- dominant, enter-

mouthpiecemouthpiece skepticalskeptical taining, cynical taining, cynicalKind of reportingKind of reporting biased, biased, descriptive,descriptive, interpretative, interpretative,

substantivesubstantive substantivesubstantive less substantive less substantiveJournalistic metaphorJournalistic metaphor lapdoglapdog watchdogwatchdog Cerberus CerberusAgenda set byAgenda set by partyparty partyparty media mediaDemocracy modelDemocracy model party democr.party democr. party democr.party democr. audience democr. audience democr.Period NetherlandsPeriod Netherlands pillarizationpillarization de-pillarization de-pillarization fragmentation fragmentation

<1970<1970 1970-19901970-1990 >1990 >1990