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The role of the media in #indyref


Todders

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Last one then I'm off to work.

Everyone calm down about the media. We know the BBC is Labour party central and the newspapers, well they are good for wrapping fish and bugger all else. The Scottish electorate knows this.

We have never had the media, we never will so get used to it folks. No point greetin' like a wee bairn over this, if we lose it, it's because the Scottish population doesn't want it or if you want to be kinder to yourself, we are not ready for it. I'm comfortable either way, it's democracy in action, we just need to roll our sleeves up and try harder next time.

So everyone on my side of the force, put on your big boy pants and have a cup of shut the f**k up and get on with it.

Personally, I'm going to keep going, keep delivering leaflets, canvassing, I might even stand again, although Monster might have words with me over this. If we lose, I'm getting a 'Don't blame me, I voted yes' badge made.

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The role of the media is simple, to report both sides without favour and I think on the whole they do that, I know that this thread is full of Yes voters, who will disagree with this, sounds like they are preparing their excuses already for their impending defeat, just saying

What a laughable assertion. Do you believe in Santa?

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The role of the media is simple, to report both sides without favour and I think on the whole they do that, I know that this thread is full of Yes voters, who will disagree with this, sounds like they are preparing their excuses already for their impending defeat, just saying

That might be the greatest first line of fiction in the history of the world. Its right up there with...

'In the beginning, God created the Heaven and the Earth...'

I also particularly liked H_B's post which skimmed over this entirely and agreed with the post on account of it being anti-Yes. I do believe that's what is known as scrambling for relevance. But hey ho I'm away to read Crawford and Boyle's legal analysis just for lols. What a knob he is.

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That might be the greatest first line of fiction in the history of the world. Its right up there with...

'In the beginning, God created the Heaven and the Earth...'

It is only how I see it, my view may not sit with all but it is all mine

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It is only how I see it, my view may not sit with all but it is all mine

Can you explain exactly how you came to this view?

Are you seriously suggesting that the majority of the UK press reports in an impartial manner? If they are impartial, can you explain why (for instance) the Guardian & the Daily Mail approach most non-indy news stories from completely opposite viewpoints?

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There are clearly elements of the press media with huge bias; this usually fits with their readership. If the alleged Yes campaign had the vast support it is supposed to have then the media would be quick to reflect this in order to sell papers.

Do the media hugely influence elections or just go with the flow to keep in tune with their readership ? Losing parties choose the former as it means they can kid themselves on that they weren't rejected by the electorate.

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There are clearly elements of the press media with huge bias; this usually fits with their readership. If the alleged Yes campaign had the vast support it is supposed to have then the media would be quick to reflect this in order to sell papers.

Do the media hugely influence elections or just go with the flow to keep in tune with their readership ? Losing parties choose the former as it means they can kid themselves on that they weren't rejected by the electorate.

Oh aye I remember the Daily Record and Scottish Sun and BBC Scotland all giving off a pro-SNP vibe before the last Holyrood election?

There's a minor element of truth in your point but there are also plenty of agendas at work and by and large they are all set-up to oppose Scottish independence. You only need to look at the owners of all those media outlets - all UK-based.

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Oh aye I remember the Daily Record and Scottish Sun and BBC Scotland all giving off a pro-SNP vibe before the last Holyrood election?

There's a minor element of truth in your point but there are also plenty of agendas at work and by and large they are all set-up to oppose Scottish independence. You only need to look at the owners of all those media outlets - all UK-based.

There are agendas, however the primary one is CASH. If independence was really popular in Scotland someone would see that bandwagon to sell people the bias they want. No one has done that yet, so they might be ignoring an opportunity? but I doubt it.

If the polls swing towards yes I would expect the media to change their tune.

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There are agendas, however the primary one is CASH. If independence was really popular in Scotland someone would see that bandwagon to sell people the bias they want. No one has done that yet, so they might be ignoring an opportunity? but I doubt it.

If the polls swing towards yes I would expect the media to change their tune.

I just can't see that happening.

The Labour Party in Scotland are in absolute free-fall and yet as far as I can see they get the support of the BBC up here. The BBC are also less interested in CASH than any of the newspapers. And newspapers are losing money more often than not and are less relevant as a result.

I think that over the next few months momentum will start to build for Yes - whatever way this goes I can't see it being a landslide. Whether the bias starts to disappear we'll just have to see.

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I agree the media is less relevant, but plenty people are worked up by it. Papers are losing money so they cannot afford to ignore their audience as well as all their other challenges in staying afloat.

I don't agree the BBC is biased in any way, shape or form like the press are. There may be some element of slant towards the status quo but not to anything like the extent its being made out to be.

If you want to find bias then you will probably find it, but if it actually exists in the round is harder to assess and/or prove. The 'losing' side will say its because the media are against them, when I would say the media are like everyone else - they want to back the winner.

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I would say the media are like everyone else - they want to back the winner.

Huh? Why would anybody back any particular side because they think they are more likely to win? This isn't bloody X-Factor, it's the future of our country!

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Huh? Why would anybody back any particular side because they think they are more likely to win? This isn't bloody X-Factor, it's the future of our country!

Cos the winner will be the most popular position in the county, with the most people supporting that opinion. People generally buy papers that reflect to some extent their views so for the media its a commercial decision.

Likewise if Yes becomes more popular then business across the board would be more likely to support it, either in public or in private - only because its good for business.

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Sorry, but if anybody places their vote based on which side is most "popular" then they don't deserve the vote in the first place.

I was referring to the media 'backing the winner' and businesses 'backing the winner' I wasn't referring to individual voters.

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Cos the winner will be the most popular position in the county, with the most people supporting that opinion. People generally buy papers that reflect to some extent their views so for the media its a commercial decision.

Likewise if Yes becomes more popular then business across the board would be more likely to support it, either in public or in private - only because its good for business.

OK, so let's look at your viewpoint with regard to UK general elections (excluding the last one which resulted in the coalition)

  • Sun (inc. Daily Herald) supported the winner in 11/17 elections since 1945 (7 lab, 4 con)
  • Express - 8/17 (all con)
  • Daily Mail - 8/17 (all con)
  • Mirror 9/17 (all lab)
  • Telegraph 8/17 (all con)
  • Independent 1/6 (lab)
  • Times 9/17 (6 con 3 lab)
  • Guardian 4/17 (all lab)

Effectively, only the Murdoch papers change their vote and "follow the winner", and even then, they only predict correctly just under 60% of the time. The others follow their normal line at every election i.e.

  • Telegraph always supports the Tories
  • Mirror always support Labour
  • Mail & Express support the Tories in 95% of elections

http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2010/may/04/general-election-newspaper-support#zoomed-picture

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The role of the media is simple, to report both sides without favour and I think on the whole they do that, I know that this thread is full of Yes voters, who will disagree with this, sounds like they are preparing their excuses already for their impending defeat, just saying

^^^^^ just reminds me of this from about a year ago.

In the BBCs own words

we are not in an official referendum campaign and therefore do not have to balance it out between yes and no

Clicky

post-39650-0-84610500-1388708765_thumb.j

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