Populism through the Eyes of Czech Journalists

Abstract

Populism has become a central theme in contemporary politics and media, raising debates about its disruptive potential or normalization within mainstream discourse. This study explores how early-career Czech journalists, who entered the profession after 2011 when Andrej Babiš and Tomio Okamura emerged as major populist actors, perceive the concept of populism. 55 respondents completed a questionnaire that combined open- and closed-ended questions. The study is exploratory in design, seeking to map dominant patterns in journalistic understandings of populism and generate a baseline for future research rather than to produce statistically generalizable claims. The sample includes journalists from both public and private outlets across television, radio, print, and online media. The analysis addresses three areas: (1) how journalists define and conceptualize populism; (2) whether they regard it as a threat to democracy or a legitimate political strategy; and (3) whether populist figures are considered more appealing than conventional politicians. Findings suggest younger Czech journalists view populism neutrally, as a pragmatic mainstream strategy, while partially confirming its heightened journalistic attractiveness. This study contributes to the ongoing debate on the relationship between populists and journalists.