oa ‘Safety first’ versus ‘op de barricaden’

‘Safety first’ versus ‘fighting on the barricades’: a content analysis of the nuclear debate in the Netherlands

News content is often the result of an intense struggle between sources over the definition of an issue. This study content analyzes the agendas of the proponents and antagonists of nuclear energy in the Netherlands between 2002-2012 and investigates to what extent these agendas overlap with the news media agendas, including the often overlooked press agencies and regional newspapers. Analysis shows that the agenda of opponent Greenpeace – consisting of the themes of nuclear waste and risks – is slightly more visible in news agency and national newspaper content. Regional newspapers however tend to adopt the nuclear industry’s most dominant theme – safety. Interestingly enough, one regional newspaper seems to completely ignore the oppositional voice. This finding calls for a critical assessment of the relation between regional newspaper content and information subsidies.