Public Spheres in Interaction: Comment Sections of News Websites as Counterpublic Spaces

Research scrutinizing political talk online has been developed largely against\nthe backdrop of deliberative discursive norms and considered political talk\nwithout a systematic analysis of surrounding mass-mediated discourses. By\ncontrast, this study operationalizes counterpublic theory as an alternative\ntheoretical perspective and analyzes comments on news websites as a reaction\nto hegemonic mainstream public spheres. It juxtaposes a qualitative framing\nanalysis of all articles about a new anti-Euro party in devotedly pro-European\nGermany published on 9 news websites in the week following the 2013 elections\n(n = 22) with a content analysis of all comments posted below these articles\n(n = 3,154). It finds counterpublic spheres differently shaped in comment\nsections of right- and left-leaning, and tabloid and nontabloid, outlets.\nConsequences for democracy are discussed.