Will the BBC, the dominant news broadcaster by far, be the Kingmakers for this election? Some think they may well be, either by design or happenchance.
The prospect of Labour ‘stealing’ the election having less seats than the Tories but able to conjure up a majority with a ‘Bauld’ Alliance has been highlighted recently in the Press. This morning on the Today programme, and elsewhere it seemed that the BBC were countering that suggestion of Labour snatching the election using the rule book but having no legitimacy with fewer actual votes. I had the impression that the BBC was coming down on the side of Labour.
The normally pro-BBC Cardiff University journalism and media studies unit has come up with a frightening prospect and a warning to journalists…that the Broadcast Media could, by the way they interpret events post-election, influence how the Public perceive the legitimacy of any likely political scenario and annoint the ‘winner’…making themselves the Kingmakers.
How broadcast media could be kingmakers after the election
Depending on the electoral arithmetic, the next 48 hours could be a real test of how broadcast journalists interpret public perceptions towards any post-election coalition deals. If, as polls continue to suggest, a hung parliament is imminent, the debate will almost exclusively focus on which party can (or should) lead a coalition government over the next five years.
How broadcast journalists interpret “public” legitimacy could be crucial in policing the boundaries of negotiations between parties, in the post-election period.
Broadcasters, beware
If the vote is a close as predicted, parties will inevitably squabble between themselves about who “won”. But the public will rely on journalists to mediate. And since TV news remains by far the most widely used source of news for general and detailed information about the election, the impartiality of broadcast journalists will be put under the spotlight.
This puts a huge amount of responsibility on broadcast journalists interpreting the results as they come in, during the early hours of Friday morning. Tired but full of adrenaline, broadcast journalists may well be influenced by the pace of the news cycle and the pressure to call out a “winner”. No doubt many of the partisan newspapers – most of whom have endorsed the Conservative party – will be seeking to sway readers in their Friday and Saturday editions.
As public attitudes are formed over the next 48 hours, broadcast journalists will therefore need to be careful in how they interpret the “public legitimacy” of the election results and any possible coalition deals, in light of their impartiality requirements.
I am absolutely certain that the BBC’s best and brightest will be conscientiously watching every word for a hint of bias, marshalling their thoughts in an impeccably impartial manner to bring us their verdict….not.
There has been much comment about how the BBC has gone out of its way to ignore UKIP throughout the election campaign. The reason? The BBC does not want UKIP’s message to reach the white working class as, much as the BBC despise them, their votes are required in order to give their beloved Labour party a chance of winning. If UKIP was thought to be a threat to just the Tory vote the BBC would give them blanket coverage in an effort to split the conservative vote.
Cunning b*stards those so-called socialists at the BBC.
In that connection, the weirdest thing is that today on Outside Source one Matthew Price was talking about disillusioned Labour voters turning to UKIP!
I just posted the evidence for that remarkable observation by the BBC on the open thread.
Amazing enough that it was on the BBC but the World Service? That really is a blatant propaganda wing of the BBC. As you said on the open thread, the reporter will probably be looking for employment soon.
Yes, it’s not a good career move to swim against the current of World Service propaganda, especially with champagne bottles waiting to be emptied and strewn along corridors.
‘I am absolutely certain that the BBC’s best and brightest will be conscientiously watching every word for a hint of bias, marshalling their thoughts in an impeccably impartial manner to bring us their verdict….not.’
Sadly they have already started. Having delved into the ‘rule book’ the BBC have interpreted it their way and the BBC have spoken:
‘It isn’t the greatest number of seats a party has, or even that the size of their popular vote might be the largest….it’s who can carry Parliament with them who gets into Number 10’.
So there we have it…the BBC clears the way for Miliband’s accession. That’ll be another 10 cases of ‘Bolly’ please….charge it to the DG.
It’s been a pig of an election, this. Today was typical of the past week, BBC interviews with the Leaders, have wasted time focussing almost entirely on deals and the post election intrigue rather than the issues.
The BBC in particular have assiduously avoided any attempt to scrutinise or challenge policy. There have been literally dozen’s of questions begging to be asked, particularly of Miliband, who has led a ‘hit and run’ campaign, spouting platitudes and hypocrisy and scarpering before anyone could test him (not that the BBC would). The journalism of the people that we, the electorate, depend on to dig for real facts has been piss poor.
The media have hi-jacked this election. Out of touch with their viewers and listeners they have been self indulgent, more interested in the Westminster Village intrigue than the real issues. But that of course, for some of them, has served a purpose.
#88 Spot on in your media critique. UKIP must wonder why they bother with a manifesto. That the BBC never analyzed it tells you it must be good.
I haven’t seen or heard a peep on Al Beeb about UKIP’s manifesto. They haven’t even mentioned it . I wonder why ?
Where is ‘the man with the clap on the bus’ with his claims that they only had ‘one’ policy ?
All true, but c’mon, admit it, who wouldn’t get at least some pleasure from seeing Appeasing Dave, the BBC’s creepy beta orbiter, getting driven out by the organisation he’s spent years grovelling to?