Media Framing of Refugee Crisis in Germany and Austria

Abstract

This research studied the media framing of European refugee crisis in Der Standard (Austria), Kleine Zeitung (Austria), Süddeutsche Zeitung (Germany) and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (Germany) as an attempt to understand which aspects of refugee crisis are more promoted in the German and Austrian media. The framing analysis theory premises that media uses its power of influence by interpreting the reality and emphasizing on certain frames. Influenced by the theory, frequencies of the eight frames that cover up most frames of the immigration in the past literature was observed. The eight frames examined how media in Germany and Austria portrays the illegal immigration, influx of asylum seekers, burden on economy and the welfare system, likelihood of criminality and terror, deportations of failed migrants, potential benefits provided by the migrants, problems that migrants face as victims of the crisis, and role of the West connected to their responsibilities. Different features of the frames led to four arguments. First, uncertainties in the future lead to concerns for economic burden rather than positive prospects for immigration. Second, emphasis on the human interest frame and the responsibility frame is frequently made. Third, illegal migration, people smuggling and deportation are regarded as factors that induce empathic understanding. Lastly, water metaphor and numbers were used more often in Austria than Germany. Analysis of the results allowed better understanding of why some issues are politicized over others, and how that could affect in shaping the public opinions of Austria and Germany.