Media in the UK

2017 General Election

________- Conservative PM Theresa May was running a poor campaign and Conservative MPs were complaining that she was seen as boring /wooden among voters.

2015 General Election

________- Labour Leader Ed Miliband was seen by many voters as a bit geeky /incompetent and the Sun newspaper took a photo of him eating a bacon sandwich awkwardly.

Polls

________ are conducting by polling agencies and seek to get a balanced sample of different demographics (e.g.

Media

________ can positively or negatively frame how and /or frame how certain ideas come across.

Articles

________ from newspapers are posted onto websites and can be links to these webpages can be circulated on social media.

Newspapers

________ are under no obligation to be impartial however during elections there are some restrictions on what ________ can publish regarding the accuracy /veracity of stories.

Opinion polls

________ are often commissioned by news organisations to gain an understanding of public opinion towards certain policies, parties and /or leaders.

Social media

________ is especially good for parties that do not gain widespread coverage in traditional media, either because of partisanship or because of perceived lack of relevance.

2015 General Election

Labour Leader Ed Miliband was seen by many voters as a bit geeky/incompetent and the Sun newspaper took a photo of him eating a bacon sandwich awkwardly

2017 General Election

Conservative PM Theresa May was running a poor campaign and Conservative MPs were complaining that she was seen as boring/wooden among voters

2019 General Election

Labour proposed a policy of state-investment in high-speed internet and lots of Conservative-leaning papers termed this policy ‘Broadband Communism

How has social media impacted political messaging in the UK?

Social media has been a powerful tool for spreading political messages, especially for parties that do not gain widespread coverage in traditional media. However, claims can be made without proper fact-checking and 'fake news' can spread rapidly.

What are the most ideologically conservative newspapers in the UK?

The Sun, The Times, The Telegraph, The Express, and The Daily Mail.

What is the role of media in British politics?

Media is a powerful aspect of political life in the UK, and it can positively or negatively frame certain ideas. Most people encounter politics through the media, and their opinions can still be amplified by other news media even if they do not read newspapers

Do newspapers influence their readers or simply reinforce existing views?

There is considerable debate about this. While newspapers can change the conversation and have an impact, news companies are mostly for-profit entities and have to publish stories that they know their readers will be interested in.

Are people who read a certain newspaper being brainwashed into thinking what the newspaper thinks?

No, people regularly read newspapers that they disagree with for lots of reasons.

What was the controversy surrounding Labour's proposal of state-investment in high-speed internet during the 2019 General Election?

Conservative-leaning papers termed this policy 'Broadband Communism'.

What was the impact of Theresa May's response to the 'naughtiest thing' she had ever done during the 2017 General Election?

Her response, 'I once ran through a field of wheat', reinforced the idea of her being a somewhat uninteresting individual.

How did the media influence the perception of Ed Miliband in the 2015 General Election?

The Sun newspaper took a photo of him awkwardly eating a bacon sandwich, which cemented Miliband in the eyes of voters as someone a bit awkward.

What is the impact of media on politics in the UK?

Media can positively or negatively frame how certain ideas come across, and it can impact how people perceive politicians and policies.