Framing local democracy: Bengali newspapers’ coverage of the 2023 West Bengal Panchayat Election

Abstract

This article explores how two major Bengali-language dailies, Anandabazar Patrika and Ei Samay, covered the 2023 West Bengal Panchayat election, explicitly focusing on thematic emphasis, framing strategies and tonal orientation. Drawing on a quantitative content analysis of 561 articles published between the announcement of the election and the declaration of results, the study finds a substantial thematic concentration on campaign developments, electoral procedures and incidents of political violence. In contrast, concerns like gender equity, rural welfare and the issues facing marginalized groups were only occasionally mentioned. The election coverage mostly used episodic framing, with conflict frames taking center stage and strategy, issue and game frames being used more sparingly. Both newspapers maintained a broadly neutral tone overall, with Anandabazar Patrika showing a slightly more critical orientation than Ei Samay. The findings reveal a tendency toward descriptive rather than analytical reporting, potentially constraining citizens’ meaningful participation in grassroots democracy. The study underscores the need for a more substantive and context-sensitive approach to local election coverage in regional vernacular journalism.