The Media Construction of the International Political Agenda on Instagram
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65598/rps.5961Keywords:
Media Agenda, International Politic, Instagram, Framing, GeopoliticsAbstract
The aim of this study is to analyse how international affairs are represented and prioritised on Instagram by Spanish news media, through an examination of the accounts of RTVE Noticias and Antena 3 Noticias. Drawing on a quantitative and qualitative content analysis of posts published over a 90-day period, the study examines the levels of prominence granted to the principal global actors, the dominant narrative frames, and the issues shaping the international agenda. The findings reveal an overrepresentation of the United States, generally associated with narratives of conflict, alongside an underrepresentation of China and other BRICS members, even when these actors play strategic roles on the global stage. The European Union emerges as a reactive and fragmented actor, consistent with the European information deficit identified in previous research. The analysis also reveals a strong emphasis on narratives of crisis and geopolitical rivalry, to the detriment of themes related to cooperation and diplomacy. The study concludes that Instagram reproduces and amplifies hierarchies of visibility and simplified narrative frames, thereby limiting public understanding of the complexity of the contemporary international order. These findings invite further reflection on the role of the media within digital ecosystems shaped by short-form content and algorithmic logics.
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