Entertaining and easy about porn

"How to have a better sex life." "These are Norwegians' porn habits." Headlines like these regularly appear in Norway's largest news media. But what kind of understanding of pornography do they actually convey? Hilde Kristin Dahlstrøm and Liv Iren Hognestad, associate professor and assistant professor in journalism at NLA Høgskolen, wanted to find out. In a recent study to be published in Norsk Medietidsskrift, they analyzed how five Norwegian news media covered pornography in the period 2020 to 2023.

– We are parents ourselves, and we see that our children are growing up in a time when porn is far more accessible than before. Then we also become curious: What stories are the news actually telling about this? Say Dahlstrøm and Hognestad.

Different article categories

The study reveals three clear themes or discourses in the media coverage of pornography: entertainment, consumer focus and a more critical social perspective. The most widespread is the entertainment focus, which characterizes a large proportion of the articles in the selection.

– What we can describe as entertainment cases includes articles that bring in a sensational aspect, celebrities and politicians who do strange things, often in the wrong place, the researchers explain.

– A typical example is Dagbladet's case entitled: "Naked shock: Lost his job after revealing porn secret". Such articles often aim to tempt the reader and arouse curiosity, rather than inform or explain, says Hognestad.

The cases described as consumer cases often have an advice and lifestyle focus: how porn can improve sex life, how preferences change, or what kind of porn most people watch. These texts often function as a kind of "service journalism adapted to a commercial news logic where clicks and sharing are central, the researchers believe.

Different social perspective

The cases with a social focus have a completely different approach. Here, pornography is treated as a social phenomenon with potentially serious consequences. The articles in this category examine how porn can affect individuals and society, either by harming sex life or being linked to criminal activity.

– The topic is sometimes linked to abuse, or to more systemic problems, but it rarely happens. It surprised us how absent these perspectives actually were, says Dahlstrøm.

Discussions about the industry's power and financial interests, "following the money", which is often highlighted in journalism, are rarely seen in the material.

– It is almost completely absent, despite the fact that the porn industry is a very lucrative industry, say Dahlstrøm and Hognestad.

The analysis also shows that foreign media are the most cited source type. Over half of all articles have either no or only one oral source. The articles are often illustrated with intimate images and characterized by a production logic that prioritizes low cost and high click rate.

– This is an approach to pornography that reflects increased commercialization in journalism. When the material is treated as a clickable commodity, we lose the journalistic eye that should examine power, structures and consequences, they emphasize.

Media influence

Dahlstrøm and Hognestad are clear about why this topic deserves more attention.

– The media set the agenda and help shape how we understand the society around us, also when it comes to pornography, they say.

Pornography has existed at all times, but the researchers point out that today it is more accessible than ever: right in your pocket, via your smartphone, and increasingly also for children and young people.

Challenges the editorial offices

Their study is probably the first in Norway to focus on how the media describe porn as a phenomenon. And the need for more knowledge is obvious:

– We want to contribute facts in a field characterized by many opinions. There is little research on this in Norway, and few studies internationally. Therefore, we hope that this work can be a basis for further research and for better journalism, they say.

The researchers hope the study will challenge editorial offices to go more in depth.

– We challenge journalists to follow the money. Porn is a lucrative industry that is increasingly normalized in society. Therefore, a critical look at how the topic is conveyed in the news is important, they emphasize.