The MEGEO project, short for Media, Economics, and Geopolitics, seeks to integrate data from multinational traditional and social media sources to analyze the role of media reporting in shaping national and transnational policy discussions. Using data from the Joint Research Centre’s Europe Media Monitor, Eurobarometer surveys, public opinion polls, and individual household-level panel studies, MEGEO focuses on key domains of transnational relevance, including climate action, immigration, and organized crime. Amid rapidly shifting geopolitical dynamics, the project has been designed to evolve responsively, producing a suite of open-source data products to enhance transparency and accessibility. By systematically mapping media narratives and linking them with public attitudes and behaviors across countries, MEGEO aims to shed light on how media representation influences public perception, policy-making, and global cooperation.
The project addresses a critical gap in the political economy literature, where existing research on media effects disproportionately focuses on a few countries, limiting the generalizability of findings. MEGEO challenges this narrow focus by exploring how predominantly national media systems interact with global policy challenges, potentially creating frictions that undermine collective action. Its objectives include developing a comprehensive data resource measuring cross-border media representation, characterizing the influence of national media on transnational policy areas, and quantifying the economic and political impacts of skewed foreign media reporting. Leveraging complementary datasets like Eurobarometer and household-level panel studies enables MEGEO to analyze the interplay between media reporting and public opinion at multiple levels. Organized into three work packages, the project will produce a “Topology of Media Focus” across countries, investigate the dynamics of cross-border news dissemination, and assess the role of national media in shaping transnational politics and cross-border economic activity. Through its interdisciplinary approach, MEGEO aims to catalyze research at the intersection of media, economics, and geopolitics, informing both academic inquiry and policy development.
