A transnational public sphere still in the making: Comparative analysis of global news televisions’ coverage of Eurozone debt crisis summit

摘要

In an age where the world is often described as interconnected, borderless or more participative than ever, assuming that cross-border TV networks and ICTs have finally brought the democratic human potential to an unprecedented level is an undemanding effort at best. Although there are proofs that the production of information is done by more actors than ever, many scholars find that suggestion untimely optimistic. Building on that, this paper differentiates global markets, borderless communication technologies, transnational conglomerates and a global culture of consumption that make up the “globalized world” from an inclusive and participative transnational public sphere. The paper will argue that questions on inclusiveness of the debate and the use of this “debate” as a tool of self-legitimation problematize any transnational public sphere.udTo illustrate that, the summit on Eurozone debt crisis that took place on 7-9 December 2011 in Brussels and it’s coverage on four cross-border news televisions will be analyzed. The news items aired on Euronews English, BBC World News, CNN International and Al-Jazeera English on the summit will be subject to a comparative discourse analysis in regards to who gets to join to these discussions? Is the discussion has a chance of influencing political decision-making? The paper will argue that the analyzed news networks’ claim as being “global” or “cosmopolitan” becomes highly questionable with the detection of exclusionary discursive elements in their reporting of this event. Finally, the paper will also inquire the limitations of news narrative practices onudivud24 hours news televisions in an effort to discuss any further if the transnational public sphere at hand is blocking some groups’ access to representation and decision-making or not.