Theory and Practice of Corruption: Methodological Triangulation on Journalists’ Opinions About Scandals and Their Actual Coverage

Abstract

This article aims to discern whether the perception that Spanish journalists have regarding how corruption scandals are reported aligns with the actual coverage of these scandals in national media. To achieve this, a triangulation of two research techniques was conducted: a survey of 391 journalists and a content analysis of 334 journalistic pieces from five different media outlets concerning a paradigmatic case of corruption scandal involving Spain’s former king, Juan Carlos I. The results show that the journalists’ perception of corruption coverage in general and the actual coverage in the specific case analyzed coincide only in two of the measured aspects: the polarization and the individualization of scandals around the main accused. In contrast, discrepancies are noted between the two techniques regarding the degree of contextualization of the scandals, sensationalism, and interest in the accused’s private life. Thus, it can be observed that the perception Spanish journalists have of how scandals are covered significantly differs from what is actually published in national media. Finally, no significant differences appear between print and digital media regarding the image of scandal coverage or how this phenomenon is actually reported.