When even empathy would be enough – Representation of homelessness in the Czech mainstream media during Christmas

Homelessness remains one of the most persistent and complex societal issues globally, and the media play a significant role in shaping both representations of and public attitudes toward this marginalized population. This study presents a thematic analysis of Czech mainstream news coverage of homelessness during three consecutive Christmas periods (2022, 2023, and 2024). While Christmas coverage might be expected to foreground empathy, humanization, or solidarity more strongly than routine reporting, the analysis shows that such elements remained relatively marginal in the Czech material examined here. The findings reveal a persistent scarcity of solidarity and empathy, with media portrayals frequently reinforcing harmful stereotypes rather than challenging them. The study concludes that substantial changes in media discourse are necessary to promote more accurate and just representations of homelessness in the Czech and possibly further Eastern European context.