Search

Serbia was highly polarized ahead of the 2010 Pride parade in Belgrade, an event marred by violence. It is often assumed that the media played a negative role by uncritically giving voice to anti-LGBT activists. To investigate this claim, we conducted a quantitative and qualitative analysis of media reporting as well as 25 in-depth interviews with journalists. We conclude that the media denied extremists direct access to the media. However, due to the high polarization, the media did empower nonviolent opponents of the parade, and hence indirectly contributed to the stereotypical and sometimes derogatory representation of the LGBT population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]