När färre barn föds: en analys av lokala och rikstäckande nyhetstidningars gestaltning av låga födelsetal i Sverige

Declining birthrates have in recent years become a recurring topic in Swedish news reporting. The study “When birthrates decline: a study of local and national news media framing in Sweden” examines how the declining birthrate in the country is framed in local versus national news media. The analysis is based on framing theory, drawing on Entmans four framing functions: problem definition, causal interpretation, moral evaluation, and treatment recommendation, with actor and consequences included as additional analytical categories. Using a qualitative analysis of 57 news article from Swedish media, the study identifies several reoccurring frames through which declining birthrates are presented. The analysis shows that while both local and national media frame declining birth rates as a societal problem, the framing differs depending on the media context. Local newspapers emphasizes concrete and immediate consequences for municipalities, particularly schools and preschools, while national newspapers frame the issue as a structural challenge linked to welfare, housing and labor supply. Responsibility and solutions are primarily attributed to municipalities in local media and to the state in national media.