The Scottish Referendum in Austrian, German and Swiss Media

This chapter uses the concept of ‘the story’, applying a model of key story elements to the shape which the media imposed on the sequence of Scottish referendum events. The analysis offers substantial, rich and dense data on press and broadcast coverage across three German-speaking nations. However, any important differences based on national perspectives among the three are not discernible. Across the board there tends to be a majority judgement against Scottish independence, not least associated with the views of sources such as business representatives, and there are some actively hostile views expressed in places toward Scottish aspirations for independence. However, and though in a minority, there is also supportive comment across the three countries, and after the vote and despite its result, there is a widespread media view that the referendum event has altered Scotland and Europe. Britain is seen as having been changed by the event, political democracy and regional diversity have been potentially enhanced, and the benefits of federalism are seen as reinforced.