Abstract
The paper Die Rolle der Minderheitenmedien für den Spracherhalt aus journalistischer Sicht: Eine vergleichende Studie über baskische, ladinische und sorbische Medien was presented at a doctoral colloquium. This paper examines the perceived role of unique minority language media in language maintenance through a comparative study of Basque, Ladin, and Upper Sorbian media outlets. It is based on interviews with senior representatives from one newspaper and one TV/radio station in each language context. The analysis shows that while the media view language maintenance as an inherent part of their purpose, they see it mainly as a by-product of providing good journalism for the minority community. Key themes emerging from the results include the media's efforts to maintain linguistic standards, train journalists, develop vocabulary, promote the language, and engage younger speakers. Differences between the contexts are explained by variations in resources, language vitality, and structural factors. Overall, the paper provides insight into minority media's multifaceted contributions to language maintenance from an insider perspective.