EurActiv, the independent online EU policy media, deployed its editorial and communication resources to cover the European elections across its multi-lingual media network in 12 EU countries and 12 languages. It did so in the interests of providing non-biased, fact-based public information on the people and policies at the heart of the election campaign.

Europe in Crisis

In 2014, it really was different. Europe had been hit by the deepest financial crisis and worst recession since the 1930s’ depression. The Euro was in meltdown, youth unemployment reached an all-time high – a staggering 50% in Greece and Spain – and recovery was painfully slow. People were protesting in the streets at the austerity measures imposed by governments and the reckless risk-taking of the banks.

 

The role of the European Parliament

The Parliament wanted people to know that they had a voice through their elected representatives in Europe. The tone was important – Europe’s politicians had not got it right. The campaign needed to acknowledge the crisis but also point to the need to act to solve the challenges facing Europe. In such a context, how to communicate to citizens that by participating in the European elections they had the power to change their lives for the better? The campaign strategy and branding were developed with this very much in mind.

“This time it’s different: now we have more power to decide what happens in Europe.”

European Parliament launches information campaign towards 2014 elections

The strategy was to fire the starting gun for the campaign earlier than previous elections – at the EU State of the Union address at the European Parliament in Strasbourg (September 2013). The slogan “This time it’s different” was launched to Europe’s media, with a video trailer to set the tone, followed by press briefings to media across the EU.

 

The role of the media

How to interest the media in the European elections at such a time of turmoil? EurActiv took soundings from its media network, as well as European journalist associations and journalists covering the EU to advise the EP on tools, timing and techniques to target its communication with and through the media. Media surveys and focus groups helped to fine-tune the strategy, ensuring relevance and resonance. Whilst there had been a reluctance from the EP to launch the campaign early, it was acknowledged that communicating to 500 million people across borders needed the media to act as a multiplier. And for that we needed time – time to build the story.

Presidential debates

What else was different? Well, for the first time following the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty, the European political parties put forward candidates for the European Commission President. This linked the electoral outcome to the EU executive, attempting to bring representative democracy a step closer. Televised presidential debates took place in Athens, Brussels, Florence and Maastricht –covered by mainstream media and attracting audiences through TV, print, online and social media. EurActiv covered the debates in a continuous online narrative.

Is media the measure of success?

Ultimately the success of an election campaign is measured by turnout, not media coverage. On the election evening live from the EP in Brussels it was announced (prematurely) that for the first time since European elections in 1979 voter turnout had increased. Unfortunately, after the final votes were counted that turned out to be wishful thinking.

But the campaign did achieve some significant media milestones. The early, targeted media campaign resulted in far more, sustained media coverage than any European election campaign before. For the first time, media were consulted on the best topics, tools and techniques to reach target audiences. Social media also played a larger part in the European elections than before, with Twitter alerts the preferred news tool for journalists, the EP’s Facebook page surpassing its target of 1 million friends and the EP piloting online debates between MEPs and stakeholders by video hangout.

Was it really different this time?

From the economic context, political process to the election campaigns, there was a sense that something was different in the 2014 European elections. The European People’s Party won the majority of seats in the Parliament and in line with the new process their candidate became President of the European Commission. Direct EU democracy may not be quite there yet, but the seeds have been sown. When the European political parties begin to prepare for the next elections in 2019, including European primaries, we will see just how far they have taken root.

 

Meanwhile, Greece almost crashed out of the Eurozone, the refugee crisis exploded and nationalism is at heights reminiscent of pre-war years (with significantly more nationalist MEPs in the European Parliament). And as Britain renegotiates its membership of the EU in advance of an in/out referendum there is little sign of the EU solidarity or leadership needed to resolve common issues.

 

You can be sure EurActiv will be following these developments and reporting to its readers across European countries, cultures and languages.

For details of EurActiv’s activities during the 2014 European elections please see the Case Study below. For content and coverage visit the EurActiv.com website. http://www.euractiv.com/sections/eu-elections-2014

 

ELECTION SECTIONS: independent editorial content and coverage

 

EurActiv accompanied the European elections campaign with independent editorial coverage, not funded by the European Parliament. EurActiv network partners in 11 countries launched in October 2013 an EU Elections section on their media platforms:

 

• com
• bg
• cz
• fr
• de
• gr
• it
• pl
• ro
• sk
• es

SUSTAINED COVERAGE:

 

The editorial teams in Brussels and across the network shared editorial planning and stories to ensure that the latest news on the elections was reported across borders, including videos and Links Dossiers. Localised content, in the national language, ensured that European stories had a local angle and local stories included the European context.

 

 

PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES

EurActiv was an official media partner and present at all 3 of the big televised EU Presidential Debates (Maastricht : 28 April | Florence : 9 May | EP, Brussels 15 May).

 

We created one continuous storyline using the editorial tool Storify which allowed us to combine social media with editorial content. We also used social media to extend outreach.

 

ELECTION LIVE COVERAGE

EurActiv editorial teams (Brussels and the network) assured the live coverage of the EU elections with a live Storify, a feed of EP election results (from Sunday 9pm), a filtered #EP2014 Twitter feed, and much more.

EurActiv’s live coverage continued through the Election Night and ran until Tuesday 27^th of May 2014, with coverage of the informal European Council meeting discussing the election results on Tuesday 27^th evening.

 

EurActiv continued coverage of the new EP, the EU top Jobs (President of the Commission, President of the European Parliament, President of the EU Council, High Representative for Foreign Affairs) and the Parliament hearings for the new EC Commissioners until the instatement of the new European Commission by end 2014.

EurActiv was part of a consortium that won a tender to provide communication services to support the European Parliament’s institutional information campaign on the European elections 2014. EurActiv provided strategic media advice and media services to the consortium (see Case Study for details). EurActiv’s editorial content and coverage of the elections was independent and not funded by the European Parliament.

According to media monitoring carried out by the European Parliament in the EU 28, EurActiv’s coverage significantly increased during the campaign and saw a peak of over 2 million readers.

Author : EurActiv: Pioneering Values in European Media
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