Legislating in the media spotlight: The Digital Markets Act in EU news coverage

In this article, we seek to analyse how stakeholders used media to shape public discussion during the transition from the legislative proposal to the enactment of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). By focusing on the DMA’s legislative development, we uncover the media’s dual role as both a channel for stakeholder influence and a tool for policymakers to communicate and justify regulatory decisions. A qualitative content analysis of Euractiv, Politico, and EU Observer shows the European Parliament’s position was most cited, followed by Germany, France, and the European Commission. Other stakeholders, such as American Big Tech companies, featured less prominently in this press coverage about the DMA. The limited presence of the perspective of EU citizens is consistent with these EU-focused media outlets as mostly serving an elite-driven process with limited public engagement.