Haridus- ja teadusminister Mailis Repsi representatsiooni muutumine ajalehe Postimees näitel – minister-praktikandist reisikorraldajaks

Date

2007

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Tartu Ülikool

Abstract

Description

The title of my Bachelor’s Thesis is The Alteration of the Representation of the Minister for Education and Science Mailis Reps – the Case of Postimees daily. I examined three periods – 2002–2003, 2005 and 2006–2007. My purpose was to study how media represents a person who has an important institutional role in the society and how media looks in the case of Reps at the person, politician and institution. Main question was – how is the representation of Reps changed from 2002 to 2007? My hypotheses were following – Reps is represented in all periods negatively and controversially, the practice of giving labels is used very often, occupational incapacity of Reps is put on the foreground, an image of a young politician is constructed for Reps. To answer my research question, I conducted a quantitative content analysis and qualitative discourse analysis of texts. From the quantitative analysis I found out that: 1. The majority of texts had a negative orientation towards Reps. 2. The majority of texts handled Reps’s occupational failures and incapacities. 3. The conflict of Reps’s incapacity was the biggest in the third period. 4. The orientation of the text’s author was positive in the first period. 5. The majority of texts with negative orientation were published in the second period. 6. The interest towards Reps was the biggest in the second period. From the qualitative analysis I found out that: 1. The most important role in the case of Reps was the role of the institution. It was followed by the role of the person and the politician. 2. An image of a minister-trainee was formed for Reps. A stereotype is used that a young person is weak in the role of a minister because one has no life or administration experience. 3. The negativity of the journalists has disappeared in the third period but the criticism of the institution (Postimees) has increased. 4. Reps has been identified by gender and motherhood, and slightly by appearance. 5. The representation of photos is somewhat positive. 6. In the case of a few caricatures the note of criticism has been increased. Due to this the photo carries a bigger emotional meaning than the text does. 7. The representation of Reps is identified by high appraisal and by low neutrality and objectivity. 8. The practice of giving labels is usual in the case of representing Reps. 9. Reps’s comments are positive. She does not take criticism very seriously. Her use of language is a little naïve and rough around the edges. 10. The conflict of Reps’s failure has increased but the amount of texts which deal with the question of the educational problems has decreased. 11. Negativity towards Reps is increased by her visit to Mari, by her party background and by taking her two week old daughter with her to work. 12. The negativity in the headlines has decreased and the positivism increased. 13. The disappointment in Reps has increased and expectations of her decreased. 14. Reps is not identified through her field but through visit to Mari and through the child topic. On the results of my research I conclude that: 1. In spite of the fact that Reps as a person is represented positively, some of her personal qualities are not counted as acceptable in the role of the institution. These qualities are her age, mother language and confidence. 2. In the representation of Reps there has been used a constructive model in stead of a cognitive one. Same topics and arguments are being used. 3. There has been formed a myth that Reps has failed in her profession as a minister. 4. The topic of education has been personified. Reps is a sign which has hindered the discussion of educational matters. 5. A bilateral transmission has taken place – the criticism of the educational system in Estonia and the criticism of the Ministry of Education and Science has transferred to the minister and vice versa. 6. Also a bilateral disappointment has occurred – Postimees as the institution, journalists and other authors have been disappointed in Reps and Reps is frustrated by the media. 7. Reps is a sign of the time – she indicates the selectiveness, randomness and exclusion in the media.

Keywords

H Social Sciences (General)

Citation