Constructing corporate media legitimacy through the public interest: a framing analysis of Big Tech in the news

Purpose As Big Tech corporations are increasingly scrutinized for their central role in our digital societies, they face pressure to sustain corporate legitimacy in the face of their main watchdog, news media. This article analyzes corporate-attributed statements in legacy news media to understand how public interest frames cultivate pragmatic, moral and cognitive media legitimacy. Design/methodology/approach We draw on a qualitative framing analysis of (in)direct corporate statements that receive media visibility in 93 news articles from four major U.S. and German newspapers spanning the period 2000–2020. Findings Five frames were identified that promote technological innovation as a universal solution to societal challenges, align corporate and public interests, embed corporate citizenship into the societal fabric and personalize corporate leadership. These frames position Big Tech corporations in public interest, which cultivates pragmatic, moral and cognitive media legitimacy. Practical implications Findings provide insights into media framing of public interest appeals, and how these influence media legitimacy. This perspective offers guidance for practitioners seeking to engage effectively with journalistic scrutiny and create resonating narratives in public debates. Originality/value Our study intersects public interest framing and media legitimacy literature, and in doing so, presents this type of framing as a versatile discursive resource for legitimacy building via news media in contested sectors like Big Tech in particular, where such claims are highly scrutinized and relevant for regulatory debates. We call for greater critical reflection on how public interest framing may obscure corporate accountability and shape democratic debates about the power and responsibility of Big Tech.