The Analysis of Print and Internet Media Content on Lobbying in Croatia

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to analyze media content about lobbying in Croatia, in order to point to the prevailing tone and relevance of the term "lobbying" in contemporary media content. The authors conducted quantitative content analysis of information published in daily and weekly newspapers, magazines and on Internet portals. In total, 512 pieces of content, issued in the period from 1st January 2009 until 1st July 2010 were analyzed. Only whole articles which contained in title or in body of the text the terms "lobbying", "lobbyist" and/or "lobby" were analyzed. The analysis points toward two general conclusions: (1) lobbyists and lobbying are interesting to media, which is supported by the fact that the amount of media content on lobbying is rather large and increasing through time, and (2) media contents on lobbying are different, with regards to the analysis criteria. Contents in which lobbying represents the essence of a text are dominantly positive in their tone, while contents in which lobbying is not the main term, or is just partially mentioned, are dominantly negative in their tone, regardless of the aspect of analysis, i.e. whether lobbying is analyzed from a political or business perspective.