The Media and Voting

1. The Media and Voting • The media is a collective term which covers a whole range of communication means including T.V., radio, newspapers and the internet. • It is through the media that the public learn about election issues and politicians. • The role of the media has changed over time and needs to be examined in conjunction with the dealignment debate.

2. The potential of the internet • Online advocates (including PoliticsOnline) had high hope that the internet would revolutionize the UK elections in 2005. • The feeling was that it (It had an impact on 2004 U.S. elections. • Also, in 2005 UK candidates basically had one month to campaign, it seemed that the rapid response and efficiency of the web would certainly be utilized.

3. Was the internet influential in 2005? • There were some great leaps forward in online campaigning. • Party communications increased successfully through the use of email • Party Websites grew in richness and content • Blogs debated important issues over looked by mainstream media • Viral Websites were also effective at highlighting important issues

4. Internet – online newspapers • Newspapers are now available on-line. • The ‘Daily Mail online’ offered ‘viewers’ the chance to put questions straight to politicians such as Boris Johnston (Cons.) and Charles Kennedy (Lib Dem.) • The Labour politicians they invited were those who had been critical of the government.

5. Traditional Newspapers • In the era of alignment (up to 1970) there was a clear correlation between the partisanship of the voter and that of the newspaper. • Papers can be biased e.g. the Daily Mail traditionally supports the Conservatives while the Daily Mirror supports Labour. • Papers commission and print opinion polls and can use unflattering photos.

6. A line of causality • Butler and Stokes said that this is difficult to establish. • The key question is do papers influence readers or do readers by papers with which they agree? • “It is quite possible either for a paper to be chosen for its partisanship or for the choice of both paper and party to reflect the influence of a family or class pattern.” • Evidence strongly suggests that newspapers merely have the effect of reinforcement.

7. What about floating voters? • They decide the outcome of the election and are a growing number. • Impact of newspapers is greater on the undecided. • ‘Selective exposure’ is the term used by Denver. This also covers the trend where people watch only the broadcasts of the party they support.

8. 1992 – high impact? • In 1992, The Conservatives won a surprise victory. The Sun had backed the Conservatives and claimed, “It’s the Sun Wot Won It.” The Sun had relentlessly attacked Labour and it’s leader Neil Kinnock (‘Kinnockio’, ‘Welsh windbag’) • ICM-MORI polls showed a 8% swing to the Conservatives among ‘Sun’ readers in the 3 months prior to the election. • In 1992 the Conservative Treasurer was effusive in his praise of the Daily Express and the Daily Mail describing their editors as ‘..the heroes of the campaign’

9. continued • Between 1994 and 1997 Tony Blair wrote numerous articles for Rupert Murdoch’s (Sun owner) newspapers. • Tony Blair visited Murdoch on his private island. On the eve of the 1997 General election, ‘The Sun’ announced it was backing Blair. It then backed Blair again 2001 and 2005. The party it backed won each time.

10. Rebuttal • The Sun conducted polls among its readers to find out their readers voting intentions before making their decision to support Labour. • In 1997 the Daily Mail had to soften its attacks on Tony Blair when it started to upset readers who were switching to Labour. (The Mail once claimed that a Labour council banned black bin bags because they were racist!!) • In 2001, the Daily Express (Tory paper) said on its front page on election day; “Our vote is Tony Blair”. Why?

11. Newspapers keep issues to the fore • Richard Tait (Director of the Centre for Journalism Studies in Cardiff) claimed that in 2005 pursued their own agendas e.g. the Express and the Mail, went hard on immigration • However while this was a main point in the Conservative manifesto, it wasn’t a big issue with the voters.

12. Photo opportunities • Spin doctors present journalists with news stories. Journalists who write favourable stories are treated better. • Photo opportunities are arranged to present politicians in a favourable light.

13. Stage managed for the media • Campaign events are carefully organised often with music and lights. • Theme tunes are adopted eg. Labour in 1997 used ‘Things can only get better’. The opportunity for slip ups and awkward questions are kept to a minimum

14. Parties manage – to avoid mistakes (mostly!) • In 2001 John Prestcott grappled with / punched an egg thrower. • In 2001 the wife of a cancer sufferer put Tony Blair on the spot. • In 2005 Michael Howard's battlebus was taken off the road because of an out-of-date tax disc!

15. Newspaper influence is ebbing? • Andrew Marr was BBC political editor until 2005. • He feels that newspapers do not deal with serious political issues. These are left to T.V. • Newspaper circulation is dropping each year and people trust journalists less. • T.V. has weakened partisanship.

16. Telvision must be impartial – by law • Television journalists must give equal exposure. • Parties use stop watches to check. • Party political broadcasts are usually watched by own supporters! • Parties are allowed broadcast time according to the number of candidates they put up. • In 1997 the Conservatives did not use all their time as their broadcasts were losing them votes.

17. T.V. news and current affairs • Political problems are on all the time. • The public has the opportunity to watch and listen to political debate all day e.g. BBC news 24, as well as normal news and current affairs programmes. • Increasingly, many commentators are pointing to "media over-kill" as a root cause of falling turnout. • Viewing figures have fallen over the last three elections.

18. . Parliament had criticised BBC journalists • Jeremy Paxman (Newsnight) and John Humphrys (Radio 4) have been criticised by a Parliamentary committee for failing to respect politicians. • They agreed that John Humphrys speaks more than the person that he is interviewing and interupts too much.

19. Tension between T.V. journalists and politicians • T.V. journalists feel that they must deal with the serious issues. • They feel that they must ask the questions the public can’t ask (through lack of access). • However, politicians prefer to use air time to put their own messages across. This creates tension. • Politicians complain that Jeremy Paxman is rude e.g. he called Dr. John Reid an "attack dog”.

20. Paxman v Galloway • George Galloway (sacked by Labour) was elected in 2005 for his new party ‘Respect’. • Study the transcript which follows and consider how this will affect the public’s view of political programmes and of politicians.

21. Paxman v Galloway • JP: Are you proud of having got rid of one of the very few black women in Parliament? • GG: I'm not - Jeremy - move on to your next question. JP: You're not answering that one? GG: No because I don't believe that people get elected because of the colour of their skin. I believe people get elected because of their record and because of their policies. So move on to your next question. JP: Are you proud - GG: Because I've got a lot of people who want to speak to me. JP: - You - GG: If you ask that question again, I'm going, I warn you now. JP: Don't try and threaten me Mr Galloway, please. GG: You're the one who's trying to badger me.

22. Impact of T.V. exaggerated? • Survey evidence shows that television is the most trusted source of information. • In 2005, the Conservative party publicly told the BBC before that they wanted a fair chance. (Greg Dyke, head of the BBC in 2001 was a Labour sponsor) • Broadcasters usually get blamed for the outcome of the election by the losing party. • Lack of respect by T.V. journalists may make people distrust politicians.

23. Conclusion? Research shows.. • The press may be seen in terms of reinforcing existing attitudes. • Floating voters may be affected. • Voters ‘filter out’ messages with which they disagree. • T.V. has helped weaken partisanship. • The press might have had a decisive impact in 1992. • Labour has worked hard to neutralise the press. • Stories originating in the press tend to find their way onto T.V. screens