Economic growth in mainstream and alternative media in Czechia and Slovakia

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F02819180%3A_____%2F25%3A%230000175" target="_blank" >RIV/02819180:_____/25:#0000175 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://politickevedy.fpvmv.umb.sk/29810/economic-growth-in-mainstream-and-alternative-media-in-czechia-and-slovakia" target="_blank" >https://politickevedy.fpvmv.umb.sk/29810/economic-growth-in-mainstream-and-alternative-media-in-czechia-and-slovakia</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.24040/politickevedy.2025.28.2.120-142" target="_blank" >10.24040/politickevedy.2025.28.2.120-142</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Economic growth in mainstream and alternative media in Czechia and Slovakia

Original language description

Economic growth has long been regarded as a cornerstone of modern societies, shaping public policy, economic planning, and media narratives. However, its role in the context of sustainable development has been increasingly contested, raising questions about how it is framed and legitimized in different types of media. This study examined the representation of economic growth in mainstream and alternative media in Czechia and Slovakia, with the objective of assessing whether growth was consistently portrayed as positive and how critical perspectives entered the public discourse. A qualitative design was employed, combining content analysis of media texts with interviews with journalists. Media representations were analyzed in terms of sentiment—positive, neutral, or negative and the linguistic strategies used to construct these meanings were identified. Interviews provided insights into professional attitudes that complemented textual analysis. The findings indicated that mainstream media largely reinforced positive or neutral portrayals of growth, linking it to employment, prosperity, and social stability. Alternative outlets, by contrast, placed greater emphasis on ecological and social costs, highlighting issues such as inequality, debt, and unsustainability. Nonetheless, outright rejection of growth was rare, and critical narratives often reframed it as “sustainable” or “green growth.” Interviews revealed a spectrum of positions among journalists, ranging from strong supporters to moderate voices and outspoken critics. The study concluded that while economic growth remained hegemonically represented as beneficial, its dominance was maintained through adaptation to ecological and social critique. These findings implied that spaces for contestation were present and may influence future discourse and policy debates.

Czech name

—

Czech description

—

Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

50601 - Political science

Project

—

Continuities

N - Vyzkumna aktivita podporovana z neverejnych zdroju

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Politické vedy

ISSN

1335-2741

e-ISSN

1338-5623

Volume of the periodical

28

Issue of the periodical within the volume

2

Country of publishing house

SK - SLOVAKIA

Number of pages

23

Pages from-to

120-142

UT code for WoS article

001621643700006

EID of the result in the Scopus database

—