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Essay plan for a media and voting behaviour question
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Media and Voting Behaviour essay plan12 January 2023 10:10
Evaluate the view that the British Media no longer significantly affects British politics. (30)
You must consider this view and the alternative to this view in a balanced way.
Issue to consider:
1. The press and recent British political figures, including Truss, Corbyn, Johnson, Kwarteng,
Williamson.
2. The press and Brexit
3. The press and the current strikes
4. The rise of social media
5. The coverage of climate protests?
6. Coverage of COVID
7. Historical coverage of prominent figures eg Kinnock, Thatcher, Blair, Brown, Major?
Detailed Planning:
Is still significant Not significant anymore
- The case of Liz Truss shows that press influence is still strong - However it can be argued that her actual policies and what she did to the economy was what
- When she went into office, she was praised by newspapers from the right such as the Daily drove public opinion against her
Mail - The pressure on her after tanking the economy turned her own party against her, especially her
- After wrecking the economy, the Daily Mail calls her out and says she has to go backbenchers
- Many politicians receive media training before stepping onto the 'big stage' so they don't - It can be argued that the Daily Mail was simply following public opinion and amplifying what most
make any mistakes people thought so they can get more sales
- e.g. the case of former Health Secretary Matt Hancock who was caught having an affair with - This is because in the end the newspapers are businesses and they need more sales to survive
someone at work, forcing him to resign. (example of tabloid media)
- Social media has taken over largely as the main source of news, especially for the younger
- Press represented the split view of the public (1/2 of traditional news media was for Brexit, generation
the other half against) - Every major newspaper in the UK is experiencing an annual decline of 3-27% in sales of their
- They definitely had influence on both sides (77% of leave voters get their news mainly off physical copies
traditional/offline media, 55% for remain voters, poll taken 2019) - Even newspaper companies understand that which is why many have their online versions (e.g.
the Guardian website, the Financial Times, the Sun etc.)
- RMT Secretary-General became media sensation during the strikes as he was an effective - Many traditional forms of media have also transitioned and/or included social media as one of
communicator their distribution methods of news
- Originally traditional media tend not to cover the striking worker's side (possibly due to many - Politicians also see the importance of social media and many politicians likely have social media
like the Sun being Conservative supporters who are usually anti-trade union) teams to run their social media profiles (they are hired professionals, therefore less likely to make
- Strikes largely unpopular with the population, one contributing factor is because of the media, a mistake)
as many see this as an unnecessary disruption to their already difficult lives and it is - Social media allows politicians to access wider populations such as the youth, they may do this by
exacerbating the existent issues (e.g. long waiting lists at NHS made worse by striking nurses attempting to catch their attention (Nigel Farage attempting to get Boris to fight him)
and doctors)
- Traditional media tends to leave union members out of the coverage (e.g. no interviews with
them) which assists in the demise of trade unions as a whole
- Their influence was large before as in the 1992 election, the Sun created the famous "The Sun - However it can be argued that these events occurred over 30 years ago, social media only began
Wot Won It" headline, proclaiming that they had swayed the election to the Conservatives' to be the next big thing in the late 2000s and 2010s
favour - Social media influence has grown since then
- They also released headlines featuring Neil Kinnock (former Labour Leader) in a lightbulb and
the headline saying: "If Kinnock wins today will the last person to leave Britain please turn out
the lights"
- Gordon brown had also been caught out by the media after talking to the public and getting
into his car with the mic still on berating the last woman he spoke to, calling her a "bigoted
woman", dubbed "bigotgate"
- Similar with the trade unions, the climate protests have been shown in a not so favourable
light
- Media have presented them as disruptors as well and criticise their methods to 'fix' climate
change
- Blocking highways and attempting to destroy artworks have been portrayed by the media as
just a nuisance and dangerous stunts, although arguably by the news showing everyone about
these protests, those organisations may be achieving their goal by spreading awareness if that
was what they wanted (however if their goal is to actually fix climate change, it is almost
universally agreed that their method is useless and ineffective)
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