| Abstract [eng] |
In the context of geopolitical developments, Ukraine remains one of the most important issues, not only in terms of the world map, but also in terms of the future prospects of international organisations, in particular the potential changes in the European Union and NATO, possibly redrawing their current borders and taking defensive action unprecedented in world history. This Master's thesis analyses the statements of Lithuanian MEPs on LRT radio and television in 2022 on Ukraine's EU membership, as Russia escalated the situation and later attacked the country. The problem is how the framing of Ukraine's EU membership prospects has changed since the outbreak of the war on 24 February. The aim of the paper is to determine, within the framework of framing theory, how the narrative of Lithuanian MEPs towards Ukraine has been changing (and whether it has changed) on Lithuanian radio and television. Applying the theories of framing and agenda-setting, it analyses how MEPs form frames on live TV, how these change and how new frames are being developed. It also looks at MEPs' agendas in the context of these frames, and how they evolve along with the changing frames. It also looks at the visual elements of MEPs' statements, which are of particular importance in radio and television, and how they can create emotional effects for the audience and shape their opinion on a given issue. The paper uses expert interviews and extensive transcripts of radio and TV broadcasts and interviews. It is a three-part case study. The first part of the study provides a general analysis of MEPs' statements, examining the frames as observed and constructed by the author herself, as well as frames constructed by MEPs according to the theories of other authors and researchers, reflecting their impact on the MEPs' political agenda and biases. The second part of the study shows how the framing of the agenda changed before and after the war, analyses the content expression and identifies the effects produced. The third part outlines the change in the framing of MEPs' statements since 24 February, the emergence of new frames and changes in the political agenda, and provides recommendations for future research. This empirical study, conducted using the qualitative content analysis method, showed that the frames of pre-war narratives have changed and new frames have emerged in the statements of some MEPs. Also observed is the emergence of a NATO frame alongside the main frames, as well as an emphasis on the membership potential of Georgia and Moldova. Among other things, the length of airtime and repetition of frames have been found to affect their reach and social acceptance. |
