Is there a visual bias in televised debates? Evidence from Germany, 2002–2017

Media professionals make use of various production techniques in the visual portrayal of politicians on television. A large body of literature indicates that these techniques exert varying influence on, for example, the evaluation of these actors, leading to the question of whether politicians are depicted in an equal way. Focusing on televised debates, this content analysis of five German debates aims to determine if there is a visual bias in the portrayal of candidates, depending on party affiliation, gender and role. Among other forms of bias, the authors find a difference in the use of camera movements and angle depending on the candidate’s gender and party affiliation.