The Maltese media and the rule of law debate within the European Union

Abstract

This exploratory research investigates how the Maltese media reported and framed the Rule of Law debate in the European Union. Though the concept of media framing has been the subject of various studies, its heterogeneous nature still allows for new discoveries. That being said, the framing of the Rule of Law debate in the European Union remains rather understudied. Following the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, the media and the Rule of Law have been on the agenda of the European Union and Malta, respectively. Hence, this study explores how the Maltese media framed the Rule of Law debate in the European Union. The research concludes that, in view of the political polarization that so heavily pervades Maltese media, a bias exists in online portals that report on the Rule of Law. Moreover, a journalist’s context and personal opinion were also deemed to have influenced the framing used. Metaphorical framing to emphasise specific problems was identified as another technique used in the reporting of the Rule of Law. Furthermore, Maltese media reported issues of the Rule of Law in Malta and issues of the Rule of Law at the international level in a different manner. Given the important role that the media plays in this day and age, more research is needed for academics to better understand political framing in the Maltese media.