Campaign negativity is common in multi-party elections. This study examines Austrian media coverage during the 2013 national election.
Data & Methods:
Analyzed news content using Generalized Exponential Random Graph Models (GERGM). Controlled for non-mediated negativity.
Key Findings:
Media disproportionately cover attacks from and against issue owners. This pattern holds across different policy domains.
Why It Matters?
This suggests media representations often violate the normative ideal of fair coverage in multi-party systems. The findings highlight a systematic bias that could influence public perception.
