By George Gerbner

Ideological Perspectives and Political Tendencies in News Reporting

A case study of "L'affair Amiel" erage of a criminal event in the French shows that France's emerging press. The French press is in the process of transformation from a "party press" commercial press does not escape to a commercially-sponsored press sys- ~ from politics; its ideological tern, Both types of newspapers exist perspectives lie between those of side-by-side. They differ mainly in their the Left Press and the Right, but criteria of news selection and editing. .' closer to the latter, The party press selects news and views according to standards relevant to its political clients' ideological perspectives . ... The basic editorial function is not per­ '\, In a multi-party system, it creates and formed through "editorials" but through cultivates publics of different-and at the selection and treatment of all that is times ',fadically opposed-political ten­ published. An earlier study on "Press dencies. The commercial press selects Perspectives in World Communication" 1 material according to standards relevant indicated how this process of total se­ to its clients-the advertisers'-need for lection and relative emphasis expresses broad mass appeal. It creates and culti- -/ and cultivates those aspects of national vates a public perspective which may perspectives in world political commu­ cut across party lines. nication which serve the industrial a~dl The event was the probably unin­ social role of media in their own sOcie-\ tended (but not entirely accidental) fatal ties. The subject of the present inquiry shooting of a student by a teacher. The is the related proposition that, in fact, underlying political dimension of the all news are views; that all editorial. reporting of any event, and especially an choice patterns in what and what not to event involving education in France, make public (and in what proportion, found expression in the news coverage. with wha,t emphasis, etc.) have an ideo"­ Before giving an account of the cover­ ~ogical basis and a political dimension '.... age itself and of the "ideological dia­ rooted in the structural characteristics logue" our analysis attempted to isolate of the medium; that such ideological and reconstruct, we shall consider the perspectives and political tendencies will context of relevant circumstances and be expressed and cultivated through pre­ the tense and critical nature of the sumably non-political news as much as, times. or perhaps even more than, through overtly political reporting, and in the .. The author is the dean of The Annenberg commercial press as well as in the School of Communications, University of "party press." Pennsylvania. The material was collected in Our case study inquired into the cov- connection with a larger project inquiring into the portrayal of education in several countries. The author expresses his thanks for the assist­ 1 George Gerbner, "Press Perspectives in World Communication: A Pilot Study," JOURNALISM ance given him by Evelyne Sullerot and QUARTERLY, 38:313-~2 (Summer 1961). Marie-Claude Gardelle. 495 496 'JOURNALISM QUARTERLY Ideological Perspectives in Reportittg 497 \ People and Events He arrives home pale, drawn, and and revolt in Algeria, the establishment the kidnapping of ",ctress Michele Mor­ Perpignan is a provincial town of oyer still silent. His wife does not question of rebelliDus Committees of Public gan,s son by her ex-husband; and of the 70,000 in the foothills of the Pyrenees, him. Soon it's morning. Amiel calls his Safety, rumors of impending paratroop Tour de France bicJtpie race. During at the southwestern edge of the wine­ high school principal, says he will not landings in Paris. There were fears of Amiel's trial, there was'- cDntinuing cov­ growing region along France's Mediter­ meet his classes that day. He waits for right-wing dictatorship and civil war. erage Df the much longer Gui1laume~ ranean coast. the police. They arrive. The coroner has A "legal coup d'etat" brought De Gaulle Lacaze and the "Ballets Roses" affairs, Jean Arnie!, 37, teaches English at repudiated the intern's diagnosis. There to power in May 1958. Labor unions, implicating former Ministers or other the Arago lycee of his home town of is a small bullethole in the back of Left parties, many other organizations important personalities in corruption, Perpignan. His wife is also an English Alain's neck. demonstrated in protest. Teachers called extortion and prostitution. teacher at a local girls' school. They Public emotion runs high in Perpig­ a one-day strike throughout France on It was in this general context of the have a four-year-old daughter and lead nan. A crowd of 3,000 gathers around May 30. They continued to demonstrate times and the news that the crime and a busy but quiet private life in their the Amiel house. The police delay the (and suffer gDvernment sanctions) trial of Jean Arniel stirred a modest sen­ new house in the suburbs. usual reconstruction of events at the throughout the period. A new constitu­ sation in the French press. scene of the crime to avoid a riot. For tion reduced the power of the elected Alain Rolland, 16, is a good student The Press at the Arago lyce. He has never had a while it seems that the trial itself has Deputies and changed the basis of rep­ Arniel for a teacher. He divides his to be moved to another city. resentation to the detriment of the Left. We have noted that both "party" and time between the Boy Scouts, his studies Nearly a year goes by before the case The strife over Algeria erupted in commercial standards of news treatment .~ and his family. The Rollands are recent comes to trial. The proceedings are held shocking terrorism and deepened the operate side-by-side in the French press. arrivals in Perpignan. Alain's father is in Perpignan without incident. There is national trauma. Our analysis of the diffe~e_~tiClI)enden­ director of a local branch of a bank, the no denial of guilt. The defense pleads The crime of Jean Amiel shared the des of ,~ne:ws,,_ ,~oyer~ie - includelf nine Algerian Credit Society. Alain has a merely an accident, "un cruel hasard." spotlight in the daily press not only with newspapers in three general groups: the brother also at the Aragon lycee. The jury's verdict: two years in prison, news of these climactic political and Left press, the Right press, and the It is the night of St. Jean, June 23, two and a half million (old) francs military developments but also with re­ commercial press. Two Paris dailies and 1958. Bonfires and dancing on the damages. ports of industrial and commercial one provincial daily comprised each streets celebrate the longest day of the Two years later the Amiels are gone, strides made despite all the turmoil, and group. We did not include the unique year in the tradition of Catalonian their house is sold, the crime is forgot­ with other' sensational "affa.irs." Head­ "prestige paper" Le Monde, or the influ­ youth. A group of boys, including Alain, ten. A colleague is asked about the case, lines of Alain's murder competed for ential (and predominantly right-wing) heads toward the suburbs to engage in a and about its political reptrrcussions, if attention with those of "L'affair J ac­ Catholic press. Table 1 presents the familiar prank: lighting firecrackers in any, for purposes of this study. He says coud" in which a famous Geneva law­ available circulation and readership fig­ Amiel was a "moderate leftist," his wife ures of all papers used in the analysis. the mailboxes of the quiet and dignified yer killed the lover of his mistress; of residential district. "more outspoken and militant." Amiel's promotion, long delayed at the time of TABLE 1 This is the third night the same prank the crime (as noted in the press cover­ (although not th.e same pranksters) Newspapers Studied and Space Devoted to l'Affair Arniel age, especially of the Left) had been Space devoted the Amiel affair plagnes the Amiel house. Mme. Amiel going through channels at the Ministry does not feel well; the children cannot (in square inches) and was announced while he was in Number 'sleep. -Jean Amiel has obtained a police Total Percent 01 stories prison (as pointed up by the indignant permit for a gun to "scare off the van­ space on Iront Percent on Amiel press of the Right). The right wing pro­ Circulatlon* Readershipt (100%) page pictures affair dals." Now he grabs the old revolver vincial daily Midi Libre has been feuding and fires three shots into the darkness. ,Commercial press with the teaching corps. An ultra-con­ France Soir ...... 1,350,000 2,124,000 772 12% 17% 10 Alain falls to the ground. "He's hurt, servative radio commentator Dn the na­ Parisian Libere ...... 900,000 1,933,000 384 27% 19% 9 Independent 736 64% 29% 11 he's blee.ding," a friend cries out. Arniel tional network has been attacking "crim­ 198,000 drives - the wounded boy to the police inal professors." Anonymous threatening Lelt press station, then to the hospital. The intern letters have been sent to some teachers. Humanite ...... 200,000 283,000 336 19% 4% 6 pronounces him dead on arrival. "Le Liberation ...... 110,000 148,000 658 19% 5% 7 But instruction at the lycee goes on as coup du lapin," he says; a fatal blow to Proven9al ...... 205,000 690,000 520 43% 43% 7 usual. The name of Jean Amiel is no the spine, suffered in the fall. longer mentioned in Perpignan. Right press Amiel drives the dead boy to his par­ Aurore ...... 472,000 870,000 1,036 7% 27% 9 ents. He says he is responsible. But, de­ The Times and the News Figaro ...... 480,000 1,018,000 252 28% 8 Midi Libre ...... 577,000 1,120 27% 14% 10 spite their sorrow, the Rollands insist The events reported in the-materials that only fate is responsible; a bad fall, of this study took place at a time of *Circulation figures listed are those included in John C. Merrill, Handbook 01 the Foreign Press (Baton Rouge, La.; Louisiana State University Press, 1959). "Ie coup du lapin." Arniel says nothing national crisis marking the end Df the tReadership estimates were obtained from unpublished 1958 data at the National Institute of about the shots. Fourth Republic. It was a time of war Statistics, Paris. il 498 JOURNALISM QUARTERLY Ideological Perspectives in Reporting 499 It also indicates the total amount of women. It attracts all classes of readers, advancing it in that the proposition in- and all kinds of statements in the rele- J space devoted to the Arnie! affair in but nearly half have gone beyond pri­ corporates the basic idea of the state- vant samples. They could be statements each newspaper (during the study pe­ mary school. Parisien Libhe is the sec­ ment in a more general propositional of the paper's own reporter, or they riod discussed below), and the alloca­ ond largest French daily" Only 16% of form. could be attributed to police, witnesses, tion of that space to pictures and front­ its readers live outside Paris. More than A master list of propositions includes lawyers, teachers-anyone the paper page stories. half (53%) are male; 75% have pri­ all essentially different propositions ad- chose to cite. A large variety of poten­ The "party press" of the Left and mary schooling only. L'Independant is vanced in all statements of each SOUrce. tial news sources make a wide variety of Right are nO't all political organs in the a provincial daily read by farmers and A code following each proposition re- statements; it is part of the editorial strict sense, although the Left press others in the southwest Mediterranean cords the SOUrce or sources which ad- function of the press to select and com­ comes closest to a party~subsidized press. (Midi) region" Its readership is 53% fe­ vanced it in one or more statements. pose from these some public representa_ The Right press is subsidized primarily male and 71 % primary school educated. (The number: of times a proposition tion of "the facts of the case" and of the by the business community as is the Right press. L'Aurore "is the daily of was advanced was not recorded in this views that shed light on the "facts." commercial press. But the two differ in the big businessman; it is conservative study.) These propositions are sorted A total of 642 separate propositions the nature and extent of the subsidy, in almost to the point of being reaction­ into '~balanced" and "differential" cate- were listed as having been advanced in reader appeal, and in the nature of their ary." 2 With a circulation of about 472,- gories, and further grouped into "bal- the statements of one or more of the service to clients. The press of the Right 000, it also attracts a large readership anced" and "differential" passages. The newspapers studied. More than two­ appeals primarily to the more conscious­ of middle class, clerical, and other em­ passages in which each source (or, in thirds of these propositions were "bal­ ly _conservative or reactionary readers. ployees.. More than half of them are this case, press group) has about the anced" (advanced by papers of all three The commercial press serves the busi­ women; three-fourths of them live in same share of propositions are the "bal- groups in about equal proportion), or ness community more as a merchandis­ Paris. About 53 % of its readers have anced" versions. Those in which some were not strictly relevant to the events ing vehicle of mass appeal; its overt po­ completed primary school only" Le Fig­ sources are represented more than oth- themselves, or both. (For example, there litical line must, therefore, be somewhat aro is the largest right-wing daily. Its ers are the "differential" versions; they was much discussion about the general blander, broader, and more flexible proportion of national circulation (37% indicate the composition of differential characteristics of modern youth in within the limits compatible with the outside of Paris) is second only to L'­ tendencies in the message-production of France and elsewhere.) About one­ basic interests of its clients. Humanite's. Figaro's readers are mostly the different sources. third of all propositions represented the Following are some general charac­ business and professional; 57 % are The newspapers listed above were differential aspects and versions. The teristics of the papers of each group (at women, and more than half are sec­ screened from June 25 through July 1, I\.p~ages. were for~~d mainly from the the time of the events reported) : ondary school or university educated. 1958, and from April 10 through April dlfIere~t~al propOSItIOns, or from 201 ~eft press. L'Humanite is the official Midi Libre is a Toulouse daily read by 23, 1959. The crime was reported dur- propOSItIOns out.?f a total of 642. . Communist daily. About 40% of its farmers and other (51 % women) in the iug the first period, and the trial was These propOSItIOns were grouped. mto circulation is outside of Paris. Its read­ Midi region. The educational level of its held during the second. 11 p~sages. Each p~sage dealt WIth a ,I ers are primarily workers and lower readers is slightly higher than that of the The material analyzed included ev- certam aspect or versIOn of the events . ..; middle class. Two~thirds are male, and other provincial dailies: 41 % have gone lery news and feature story dealing with The gr~uping of the propositions ,,:as three-quarters have not gone beyond beyond primary school. the crime, the trial, the major partici- done WIthout reference to the stone:s primary school (which ends at age 14)" I pants, and the public repercussions of t~emselves. The seque,nce of proposl­ Liberation is a socialist daily with read­ J The Method of Analysis the case. (There were no editorials.) hons does not necessanly represe~t any ership concentrated in the Paris region. \ A procedure we call "proposition Every newspaper used in the study car- act,:al sequence of statements In the Two-thirds of its readers-mostly work­ analysis" was developed to provide a ried at least seven relevant stories, and stones. ers, clerical employees, and middle class measure of the specific content compo. at least two in each period. Stories from . !he passages represent sets of propo­ -are male; about the same number sition of differential tendencies in the both study periods were lumped to- sltlons abstracted from the total cover­ have a primary school education only. presentation of the same events by dif­ gether to compose the sample for each age. The focus and complexion of the Le Provem;al is a -widely-read Mar­ {erent sources. The procedure consists paper. account changes from passage to ~as- seilles daily. It is reported to have a of the following steps: " f sage as the balance of representation It s h ou Id be not e d th a t th e SIZe 0 h"f f "d f h I"" I readership about three times its circula­ Message samples produced by the dif­ each sample affects primarily the total SIts rom one SI e 0 t e po Itrca tion, mostly among workers of the ferent sources are screened sentence-by­ number of propositions advanced but spectrum to the other. southeast Mediterranean region. About sentence to develop a list containing all I)Ot necessarily the number of different The Findings 53 % of its readers are male, and 71 % basic propositions advanced by each Vypes of propositions. In other words, a We shall now present each passage, have primary school education only. source. The form of a proposition may paper may print a great deal of what ·is and the measures indicating each news­ Commercial press. France Soir is the differ from the form of the statement essentially common ground among all paper's (and press group's) share of largest French daily. Three-quarters of I papers, or less but of a somewhat dif- representation in the propositions of its circulation is concentrated in Paris. 2 John C. Merrill, A Handbook of the Foreign Press (Baton Rouge, La.: Louisiana State Univer· ferent slant. each passage. As the passages do not re- A little over half of its readers are sity Press, 1959), p. 58. PropOSitions were drawn from any construct any sequence of events or re- 500 JOURNALISM QUARTERLY Ideological Perspectives in Reporting 501 ports in a chronological order, they can The measures appear on the right Propositions: Propositions made by: be ordered at will. We shall first attempt hand side of the page, to the right of Comes from a family of civil servants / father held high N % to reconstruct the "dialogue of ideologi­ each passage. The first column of fig­ government job / father was teacher / grandfather was also Left press (10.0) cal perspectives" inherent in the press ures gives the number of different prep­ teacher / had happy childhood / no financial problems / stUR Humanite 1 5.0 coverage of events in ,a multi-party press dent life without hardships / had only the normal money Liberation ositions each newspaper advanced out problems of all young couples / borrowed from parents / Provenr;aI 5.0 system. Later we shall discuss the pas­ of the total number of propositions in­ built beautiful villa (Total: 10) Commercial Press (35.0) sages in the order of the shifting ideo­ cluded in the passage. The second col­ France Soir 3 15.0 logical perspectives. umn is the percentage share of each paR Parisien Libere 3 15.0 The passages and measures are pre­ Modest means. heavy burdens. The Jndependant 1 5.0 per (and each press group) in the totai RIGHT PRESS (55.0) sented as follows: A title and brief com­ number of different propositions in­ Left press leads in suggesting a very dif­ Aurore 4 20.0 ment highlighting certain characteristics cluded in the passage and advanced by ferent context for the crime. The third Figaro 4 20.0 of each passage is followed by the prop­ al\ papers. passage points to the modest means and Midi Libre 3 15.0 20 100.0 ositions themselves (in somewhat abbre­ The press group which has the largest heavy financial burdens of the Arnie! Total viated form) on the left hand side of share of representation in the passage is family. It notes the insufficiency of even the page. The propositions are divided in capital letters like this: LEFT two teachers' incomes to' pay for the by brackets; the total number of propo­ PRESS, etc. The reader can see at a cost of a suburban home. The signifi­ sitions contained in each passage is glance which press group advanced the cance of the house for Jean AmieI, and given in parentheses at the end of the largest number of propositions in each his generosity and good humor amidst passage. passage. difficult circumstances receive emphasis in this version.

Good man, terrible accident. The first Propositions: Pmpositions made by: passage is a relatively balanced version, Comes from respectable family of modest means / father was N % recounting the story of a terrible acciR customs inspector in small town / Jean wanted very much to LEFT PRESS (57.5) dent that kills an innocent boy and ruins own a nice home 'I his house cost more than he could afford Humanite 13 27.7 the life of a good man. The Left press I has been heavily indebted / even two teacher incomes in the Liberation 10 21.3 family not sufficient / the house was his dream / his happi­ Provenral 4 8.5 leads in the number of propositions, but ness / his success / the crowning point of his career / he de­ Commercial press (27.6) the, differences are not very great and cided to work double and triple time / still generous enough France soir 8 17.0 the individual papers rank in almost to give free English lessons to daughter of a colleague / Parisien LiberA 4 8.5 random order. looked to the future with optimism / and good humor lndependant 1 2.1 (Total: 14) Right press (14.7) Propositions: Aurore 1 2.1 Propositions made by: I Figaro 3 6.4 A good man / stable / intelligent /hard working / generally N % Midi Libre 3 6.4 pleasant and friendly / opposite of a madman or murderer / LEFT PRESS (37.6) A defective personality. The fourth Total 47 100.0 with a serene life / beyond reproach / past without blemish Humanite 22 16.5 / able educator / devoted husband / blessed with daughters Liberation 17 12.8 I passage depicts Jean Amiel as a defec­ he loves / a good sense of humor / fires into the air without Provenral 11 8.3 tive personality: pedantic, irascible, vin­ thinking / intending to scare the pranksters / overwhelmed Commercial Press (31.5) dictive, provoking the wrath and re­ 'when sees a boy fall / seized by panic / consumed by reR France Soir 18 13.5 venge of students. The France Soir and morse / lives a horrible calvary / will never get over it / CatlR Parisien LiMre 14 10.5 not believe what happened / beyond himself / loses the will lndependanl 10 7.5 the rightist Aurore take the lead in pre­ to live / calm at the trial/restrained, softRspoken / weary / Right Press (30.8) J senting or, citing these statements. tearful/refuses to acknowledge any extenuating circumR Aurore 13 9.8 stances / almost indifferent to the fate that has befallen him Figaro 14 10.5 Propositions: Propositions made by: (Total :29) Midi Libre 14 10.5 Often pedantic / inflexible / lacks warmth / takes refuge in N % Total 133 100.0 rules / tried to gain respect through severity / lacks selfR Left press (21.2) confidence / lacks real authority / tries to frighten students / Humanite 2 6.1 Happy childhood, easy /ife. The sec­ rules by terror / beats students / brutal / loses temper in Liberation 4 12.1 ond passage delves into Jean Am'iel's class / especially with younger students who offer less resist­ Provenral 1 3.0 past. Its propositions paint a picture of ance / envies students for their youth and money / isolated COMMERCIAL happy childhood and easy life. The from reality / worthless outside his field / students tried to PRESS (45.3) take revenge / wanted to teach him-a lesson (Total: 18) France Soir 7 21.2 Right press is followed by the Commer­ Parisien LiMrA 4 12.1 cial press in advancing these proposiR lndependant 4 12.1 lions. They provide a "psychological" Right Press (33.4) rather than "social" context for the Aurore 7 21.2 Figaro 2 6.1 crime; the Left press takes scant notice Midi Libre 2 6.1 of these propositions. Total 33 100.0 502 JOURNALISM QUARTERLY Ideological Perspectives in Reporting 503

A "knight with a sad face." The fifth A heart~rending affair. Counterpoint~ passage paints yet another portrait: a ing that hostile version is a heart-rend~ pitiful, harassed young man in a state of ing story of despair, pathos, and family near collapse from worry and overwork, devotion, advanced mainly by the Left. yet inspiring respect (though not a de­ Propositions: Propositions made by: served promotion); a kind of "chevalier Arnie! sobs when his parents enter the court / displays tender N % a· la· triste figure"-knight with a sad affection for his wife / dares not look at his mother during LEFT PRESS (64.0) face. The Left press leads with nearly a the trial / father dies, overcome with shame and grief / does Humanite 7 28.0 half of all statements advancing such not attend funeral to save his mother from sight of her son Liberatum 8 32.0 propositions. between gendarmes / Mme. Amiel (the wife) is beautiful / Proven,al 1 4.0 amazing / resembles tragic Antigone / pathetic in her atM Commercial press (24.0) tempt to defend her husband (Total: 9) France SOiT 3 12.0 Propositions: Propositions made by: A national disgrace. Another version, Parisien Libere 1 4.0 Still appears youthful/like a "knight with a sad face" / one N % Independant 2 8.0 of those "nice guys" with no strong personality / overworked LEFT PRESS (49.6) however, presents Mme. Amiel as a Right press (12.0) I timid / sensitive about pranks and taunting / worried about Humanite 23 20.4 shrew, the family in discord, the trial Aurore 1 4.0 financial problems I a plodder / students say he gave signs of Liberation 18 15.9 unfair, Amiel's promotion while in pris~ Figaro 1 4.0 fainting in class / used stimulants to keep him awake / sleep­ Proven~al 15 13.3 Midi Libre 1 4.0 on a scandal. The whole affair is re~ ing pills to make him sleep / no complaints were reported to Commercial press (28.3) Total 25 100.0 the Inspector / superiors generally commended his work / yet France Soir 15 13.3 garded as a national disgrace. The Right he was not promoted / gave private lessons to supplement his Parisien Libert 7 6.2 press reported nearly two-thirds of all income / corrected papers of correspondence students / lndependant 10 8.8 such statements. (' worked as interpreter at the airport / corrected baccalaureate Right press (22.1) exams at night / prepared the distribution of awards at the Aurore 12 10.6 Propositions: Propositions made by: Lycee / drafted the scholastic reports / attended meetings of Figaro 4 3.5 Mme. Amiel has a harsh and cold face / she goaded her husM N % the disciplinary council / colleagues held him in high esteem Midi Libre 9 8.0 band into taking action against the pranksters / she is heart­ Left press (3.3 ) / wrote him in prison to assure him of their sympathy / of­ Total 113 100.0 less / quarrelsome and nagging / treats her husband cruelly Humanite 3.3 fered financial help to Mme. Amiel (Total: 24) during the trial / teachers testifying at the trial were biased / Liberation they concealed AmieI's abnormalities / the verdict was too Proven~al . A contemptible wretch. The proposi- lenient I spectators protested the leniency of the jury / many Commercial press (33.4) ltons brought together in the sixth pas- readers wrote indignant letters / Amiel was promoted while France Soir 5 16.7 sage counter the pathetic (and sympa- in jail / a teacher cannot be a killer / it is a national disgrace Parisien Libere 3 10.0 / invitation to anarchy / Amiel must leave France (Total: Independant 2 6.7 thetic) image of the "knight with the 15) RIGHT PRESS (63.3) sad face" with a stark extension of the Unjust conditions. Aurore 8 26.7 theme of defective personality: Amiel The version fa­ Figaro 7 23.3 vored by the Left press is very different. is a conte~ptible mental and physical Midi Libre 4 13.3 wretch, a har and a coward. He is in- It dwells on conditions which frustrate Total 30 100.0 different to his (possibly intentional) the efforts and try the patience of teach­ crime, and is perhaps more concerned ers and other "intellectuals." Noone, it about bloodstains in his car than about is claimed, can judge or punish such a the life of his innocent victim. The right crime' more than the teacher's own re­ wing A urore is in the lead in citing morse. It is not the verdict that is seen these propositions, followed by France as "disgraceful"; it is "the catastrophic Soir and Parisien Libere. situation iIi secondary education." Propositions: Propositions: Propositions made by: It is difficult to judge snch an extraordinary crime / it doesn't Propositions made by: Weak / cowardly / introverted / suffering from a persecution N % make sense / teachers like children / Amie! was interested in N % complex / impulsive / heartless / lacking any sense of humor Left press (23.8) rus students / be made them work / he gained their respect / LEFT PRESS (58.3) / having an exaggerated sense of pride / acting with unbelievM Humanite 7 11.9 now he has lost this "respect / brought unhappiness to his Humanite 15 19.0 able rashness / possibly even aimed his gun / grudgingly got Liberation 7 11.9 family / must leave his profession / his home / his own re­ Liberation 19 24.1 his car to take the fallen boy / told the others not to let Proven{:al morse is his greatest punishment / crime was unfortunate re­ Proven~al 12 15.2 Alain's blood stain the seats / hid his act as long as possible Commercial press (33.9) sult of long' exasperation / of taunting and pranks which fol­ Commercial press (26.7) / kept a cowardly silence / lied / became entangled in con­ France Soir 10 16.9 lowed him into his private'life / he is to be pitied as are all France Soir 7 8.9 tradictions / a miserable physical specimen / ascetic features Parisien Libere 9 15.3 intellectuals jeered at by nonentities / humiliated / working Parisien Libere 7 8.9 / tall and thin / long hands / prematurely aged / but does Independant 1 1.7 under great nervous strain / always watched, always superM Independent 7 8.9 not appear particularly tormented (Total: 22) RIGHT PRESS (42.4) vised / underpaid / overworked / despite exacting prepara­ Right press (15.2) Aurore 17 28.8 tion for their profession / forced to seek outside jobs / vic­ Aurore 8 10.1 Figaro 5 8.5 tims of unjust conditions / the trial failed to reveal the catasM Figaro 3 3.8 Midi Libre 3 5.1 trophic situation in secondary education (Total: 23) Midi Libre 1 1.3 Total 59 100.0 Total 79 100.0 504 JOURNALISM QUARTERLY ! Ideological Perspectives in Reporting 505 Not a political case. All papers re­ ported that the Amiels (like most teach­ The Spectrum of Differences advanced by all papers in each passage. ers in France) had leftist political lean­ Let us note again that this analysis The Left press, as a whole, advances ings. But only the press of the Right was concerned with differences rather the most overtly "political" version of carried allegations that they really had than with the considerable area o(,!l'ver- the case. It seizes the opportunity to no political convictions and did not take lapping in the way the three press make common cause with the left-Iean_ part, or at least not willingly, in the groups presented the events. The bIDasc ing teachers of France in this "heart­ teachers' protest strike of May 30, 1958. "facts" of the case were present in all rending affair." It views the crime and Some of these propositions claim that accounts. The differential context of 10- personality of Jean Amiel against the neither politics nor conditions help ex­ tal propositions in which these "facts" \ background of "unjust conditions." Ed- plain the crime; others allege intimida­ . were presented was the focus of this in- ucation itself is seen as the victim of the tion and class bias among teachers. quiry. greater crimes of reactionary subver- Figure 1 is an attempt to illustrate the sion, harassment, neglect. Mme. Arniel Propositions: Propositions made by: order and magnitude of shifting per- ~ecomes the "beautiful Antigone," vic­ Political explanations are out of place / religious motives are N % not involved I it has been claimed that the prankster was a Left press (5.8) spectives from Left to Right The boxed 11m of tyrants. Amiel himself is a vic­ Jesuit college student out to get a leftist public school teacher, Humanite 2.9 letters represent the newspapers of each tim; a modest man bearing heavy bur­ but that is not the case / overwork and nervousness are no Liberation press group. The number of letters and dens, a "knight with a sad face," a sym­ explanation / true causes are unknown / Amiel has no polit­ Proven~al 2.9 the size of the boxes indicate the ap- bol of the intellectual in a society ruled ical opinion I he was never much concerned with politics / he Commercial press (38.2) did -not join the teachers' strike on May 30 / he joined the France Soir 8 23.5 proximate percentages advanced by each by wealth and privilege. Although the strike but he didn't know why / he merely followed the in­ Parisien Libere 2 5.9 out of the total number of propositions crime and the trial are fully reported, structions of the union I he went out of a feeling of solidar­ Independant 3 8.8 ity, not of conviction / the teaching profession smothers dif­ RIGHT PRESS (55.8) ferences of opinion / yet such differences exist even at the Aurore 6 17.6 FIGURE 1 same school/the Inspectors often have to arbitrate political Figaro 8 23.5 The Shifting Ideological Perspective quarrels I many teachers show hostility toward students from Midi Libre 5 14.7 well-to-do families (Total: 15) Total 34 100.0 P?ssages in order of percentage Left Commercial Right of representation in • • • • • • ••••• press press press Politics has much to do with it. In contrast with "non-political" explana­ Politics has much 'to do ••• ! HHHHHHH LLLU.. pp I~~ tions, the socio-political background is most explicitly invoked, 'again, in the A heart-rending affair I HHHHHH LLLLLL P n SS PIt I~ Left press. The propositions of this pas­ Unjust conditions I HHHH LLLLL PPPIi S8 PP II II AA F M I sage expose the bitter conflict which be­ set France during this period. Modest means, heavy burdens I HHHHH LLLL ppli ssS PP I II A F M Propositions: Propositions made by: "Knight with sad face" I HHHH LLL PPP, II sss P II II AA F MM Political explanations are germane to this case / so are psy­ N % chological explanations / Amiel was a man of the Left / his LEFT PRESS (68.3) , Good man,· terrible accident I HRH LLL PP II sSS pp 1 II AA FF MM , wife had leftist convictions / they were not sectarians or mili- Humanite 21 35.0 tants -; took modest part in the activities of SFIO / (Socialist Liberation 14 23.3 A defective personality IHLLPI1SSss PPIIItAAAAF M Party) / went on strike May 30 to defend republican liberties Provenral 6 10.0 / teachers are united in that cause / rich students and their Commercial press (20.0) A contemptible wretch I HR LL II SSSS PPP II AAAAAA FF M families often feel superior to teachers / many of these France Soir 7 11.7 students are spoiled and corrupt / they set themselves up Parisien Libere 3 5.0 Happy childhood, easy life Q!!JI SSB PPP I II AAAA FFFF MMM as critics of the political convictions of teachers I sons of Independant 2 3.3 Algerian colons who settled in Perpignan show no respect for Right press (11.7) Not a pOlitical case C!!:EJI SSSSS P II II AM FFFFF MMM decency or democracy / are partisans of paratroop General Aurore 3 5.0 Hassu / formed a Committee of Public Safety imitating the Figaro 1 1.7 National disgrace [!!] Ssg PP I II MAAA FFFFF MMM Algerian rebellion against the Republic I once they beat up Midi Libre 3 5.0 1 the concierge of the Lycee I threatened three teachers with Total 60 100.0 I death, including the secretary of the teachers union I wrote KEY: Left press Commercial pres s Right press threatening letter to the local Communist weekly newspaper I HLP I I S P .1 I I A F M I / institgated the formation of a "James Dean Club" of Per­ l pignan I members were recruited from among the worst H-Humanite S-France Soir A-Aurore pranksters of the "rich kids" in town I inspired by the mis­ 1 L-Uberation P-Parisien Ubere F-Figaro deeds of American youth / committed acts of vandalism in P-Provencal I-Independant M-Midi Ubre the school building to protest the teachers' strike of May 30 / made teachers with republican and anti-fascist ideas their Each letter represents approximately 5% of all propositions. major targets (Total: 22) { The box devoted to each press group represents the approximate total percentage of Plat group. \ 506 JOURNALISM QUARTERLY Ideological Perspectives in Reporting 507 the differential accounts of the Left "above" politics. The differential aspects TABLE 2 stress social injustice as the root of per­ of news coverage in the "party press" sonal tragedy. reflected these political tendencies as Product Moment Correlations of Percents of Propositions Advanced by Each Newspaper Out of All Propositions in Each Passage With the theme of "defective person­ parts of the respective ideological per~ ality," the balance of perspectives shifts spectives of reporting. The commercial~ Left press Commercial press Right press Human- Libb- Pro- to the Right. Hints of "abnormalities" ly dependent press occupied a position France Paris, lnde- Midi ite ation venral Soir LilJ

, \ =G\ . COMMERCIAL PRESS //1 RIGHT PRESS \.. \ LEFT PRESS ~

-highest correlations

------second highest correlations

commercial press interlocks with the e analysis tends to support the , press of the Right, while the. Left press proposition that there is no fundamen­ ~ forms a fairly tight group of Its own. tally non-ideological, apolitical, non-par- \ g Conclusions: Choice of Perspectives tisan news gathering and reporting sys­ tem. It also suggests that (at least under ~ The analysis focused on the differen- conditions of ideological plurality) the tial aspects of the message systems pro­ commercial press selects the broadest duced by the different sources. The ma­ range of propositions concerning events jor cleavage was. found to be between the perspectives of the Left and those of to be made public, but weights its ac­ counts and presents its news from a, ~r­ 1

Ideological Perspectives and Political Tendencies in News Reporting (Continued from page 508) ing mass publications in the same press "government interference" are used system, the commercial press may be mostly as epithets. The basic ideological "freer" to ignore that perspective alto­ and political chO'ices are inherent not in gether, or to present it not only as a party-partisanship but in the total opera­ hostile but also as an "outside," foreign, tion of "news values" and of standards alien view of the news. of reporting. These choices are evident At any rate, we find no support for in press systems where ideological plu­ the assumption that the commercial rality is maintained through more than '\ press is free of inherent ideological con­ one source and method of press support. trols and political tendencies. Its ap­ The choices are not so apparent" but pearance of political "non-partisanship" they are made, nevertheless, without (if any) may be the result of its ten­ public debate, vote, and even often in dency to limit the scope of public deci­ the name of "freedom," where either sion-making to carefully circumscribed the commercial press Of a one-party and relatively marginal areas. Outside press preempts the field of daily journal­ these areas, the terms "politics" and ism.