Measuring political impartiality in the news

Political impartiality is widely considered a cornerstone of democratic journalism, yet its meaning and measurement remain contested. This dissertation examines how political impartiality is defined, enacted, and evaluated in television news, and explores how this normative ideal can be translated into empirically measurable indicators. Building on the premise that impartiality is inherently multidimensional, the study conceptualizes it primarily through two core dimensions: balance in the representation of political actors and viewpoints, and neutrality in the presentation of news. The research adopts a multi-perspective approach that integrates professional norms, journalistic practice, media content, and audience perceptions. First, a comparative analysis of journalistic ethics codes investigates how impartiality is normatively defined within the profession. Second, an experimental study with journalists examines how editorial decisions about political representation reflect ideals of balance. Third, a large-scale content analysis of Flemish television news assesses how impartiality manifests in practice by analyzing the distribution of political actors and viewpoints. Finally, survey data from citizens, politicians, and journalists are used to explore how different stakeholders perceive media impartiality. Together, these studies demonstrate that political impartiality cannot be captured through a single indicator or metric. Instead, it emerges as a dynamic and negotiated practice shaped by professional norms, newsroom routines, political structures, and audience expectations. By proposing a multidimensional framework for measuring impartiality, this dissertation contributes to both scholarly debates and practical monitoring efforts, offering new tools to evaluate the democratic performance of news media.