Housing policy and political discourse in Aotearoa-New Zealand: a media sociology and news sources perspective

Abstract

This article suggests that research on media sociology and news sources has much to offer housing studies scholars investigating political discourse and housing policy. In particular it makes the case that journalist-source relations and how political actors/news sources target reporters and respond to news content has a significant influence on public policy discourse and the policy process. After presenting the conceptual rationale for this, the piece then tests the theory with a case study of housing coverage and news sources in Aotearoa-New Zealand. The mixed-methods study, combining news content analysis and 48 interviews, focuses on a recent period of ideological contestation over housing policy (2013–2023). It seeks to investigate how, and in what ways, the actions of different sources and their media strategies impacted on shifts in public discourse and policy developments. Findings reveal why market-oriented policy solutions are more prevalent in media coverage, as well as the conditions under which ‘primary definers’ and dominant discourses may become disrupted.