International TV turns against Obama

Image of President Obama on global TV news, 2008 - 2013

June 18, 2013. Rapperswil – U.S. president Obama now faces high levels of negativity not just in his home country, but across formerly supportive European news broadcasts, according to new research from Media Tenor International.

“While media enthusiasm for Obama waned quickly in the U.S. due to controversy over healthcare reform, TV broadcasts in Europe maintained a positive outlook for longer,” says Christian Kolmer, a researcher at Media Tenor. “For example, the tone on German broadcasts did not shift until 2010,” he added.

In the first half of 2013, only news broadcasts in Spain and Italy were more positive on Obama than negative, and particularly high levels of criticism were visible in Switzerland, Germany, and the U.S.

“In 2008 Obama was viewed with extraordinary enthusiasm,” says Kolmer. “This created a level of expectation that was almost impossible for him to meet. While U.S. media became disillusioned first, his work on issues of concern to the international stage, including the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, global counter-terrorism initiatives, and the Middle East peace process has not, over time, allowed Obama to maintain positive coverage in international media.”

“Obama ran on a platform of change,” Kolmer notes, “but the U.S.´s role on the global stage has not radically shifted while he has been in office, which has been partially responsible for the end of the international media´s enthusiasm for a politician that was once greeted as something of a messiah.”

For additional information, or to schedule an interview with Media Tenor, please contact Racheline Maltese, 646-263-3731, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..