Role of the Media Flashcards
To inform Pro
• Knowledge – People can participate by staying informed - Watching the news, listening to political interviews or debates, reading newspapers, reading blogs online,
signing up to updates from news sites or political parties, etc…
• Analysis – Perhaps then the fact that the media is so extensive in the 21st century means that citizens are able to keep in touch with political developments and participate in the debate.
To inform Against
• Knowledge – However, some people criticise the
influence of the media.
• It could be argued that the media are selective in
what they report and the fact that media outlets
and publications often have partisan views means
that what people hear in the news is sometimes
one-sided.
• The BBC, for example, were accused of bias in
favour of a no vote in the independence
referendum.
• Recently some newspapers have been criticised in
the run-up to the general election for vilifying
Labour leader and potential Prime Minister Ed
Miliband. The Daily Mail has published a number of
negative stories about Miliband recently.
• Analysis – Arguably then people’s ability to keep
informed is unfairly influenced by the media which
is able to set the agenda and present the news in
a one-sided, exaggerated manner.
Individuals Pro
Rupert Murdoch
• Knowledge - Politicians were eager for his support as News International’s titles represented 42% of the media market.
• Cameron tried to gain Murdoch’s support.
• News International titles; The Sun, The Times, The Sunday Times, also Sky TV
• Analysis – This shows that politicians and party leaders take the media very seriously, which suggests that the media does indeed have a strong influence on voting behaviour.
Individuals Pro Cont.
Knowledge - The relationship between the media and voter is a complex one which should not be
simplified.
• For example, The Sun switched its support from Conservative to Labour in 1997. Labour won the General
election. In 2010, The Sun supported the Conservatives. The Conservatives won the general election. Does
this mean “it woz the Sun wot won it” or does it mean that The Sun, like everyone else, saw which way the
tide was turning and jumped ship to support the winning team?
• Analysis - Clearly newspaper support is important to politicians. Tony Blair would not have been so keen
to have friendly relations with Rupert Murdoch (owner of BSkyB and The Sun) if the media had no
influence. Despite his denials, Gordon Brown was disappointed when The Sun declared its support for
David Cameron.
• It is clearly a very complex relationship between voters and the media. On the one hand, it could be
argued that newspapers provide a drip-drip effect and over a period of time voters are influenced. If the
press did not matter then politicians wouldn’t be so wary of the tabloid press.
Individuals Against
• Knowledge - In 2009 the Sun switched back to supporting the Conservatives.
• They began to vilify Gordon Brown.
• ‘He (Gordon Brown) ruined the country…We say David Cameron should be the next Prime Minister…Brown is dead.’
• On the 1990s and 2000s, Tony Blair knew the media had an influence.
• Analysis - His determination to keep Rupert Murdoch on the side tells us that the media must have some degree of influence.
• Knowledge - There has been the on-going debate
between the academics about the extent of which any one paper can influence voters.
• Professor of Politics at Strathclyde, John Curtis
argues that there is no evidence to support this.
• The Scottish Parliament elections illustrate this point.
• The Sun was hostile to the SNP in 2007 but still
formed a minority government.
• However, it has been argued that if they had
supported them then they would have gained more
votes (note 2011)
• When the Sun switched sides in 2011 the SNP gained
a majority – coincidence?
• Analysis – Newspapers can arguably have an
influence as they have in the past backed parties
which have gone on to have success, however, it could
also be argued that they sometimes “jump on the
bandwagon” and back who the public back anyway –
after all their objective is to sell papers…or is it????
TV debates Pro
• Knowledge – In 2010, the 3 political parties staged a debate.
• The first debate was a triumph for Nick Clegg. Brown was seen as too dour and Cameron too slick and nervous.
• Within days, the Liberal Democrats projected share of the vote had risen by about 11 points.
• Two opinions polls placed the Liberal Democrats ahead of both the Conservatives and Labour for the first time in over 100 years.
• When it came to the General Election the Lib Dem popularity during
the debates did not transfer to votes cast.
• Here is a link to the first leadership debate in 2010:
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk5HvJmy_yg
• Here is a short clip from the independence referendum:
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdC4Oj8Bhec
• Analysis – It could be argued that the media does influence voting behaviour as Nick Clegg’s performance in the 2010 debates led to an increase in support for his party and ultimately led to the Lib Dems being part of the Government. David Cameron’s performance in the second debate also influenced voters.
TV debates Against
While newspapers, pressure groups and bloggers have freedom of speech and every right to be as biased as they like, broadcasters have a public duty to present issues in a balanced,
impartial way. Over one-third (34%) of news users name BBC One, as the single most
important news source, with ITV (13%) and Sky News just (5%).
Yes campaigners felt that BBC coverage was biased in favour of No arguments. Professor
John Robertson of the University of West of Scotland carried out his own study of BBC
reporting and claims he has evidence of BBC bias
