TV news coverage of the 2015 UK General Election campaign
Systematic study of TV news coverage of the 2015 UK General Election campaign.
Project details
We examined bulletins on Channel 5 at 5pm, Channel 4 at 7pm and at 10pm on BBC, ITV and Sky News. Our primarily interest was exploring the comparative level of coverage, the nature of political reporting and how balanced. We also explored the wider influences shaping TV news agendas during the campaign.
Research impact
“The Cardiff University study provided fascinating background context to my work during the election” - Adam Baxter, Standards Executive at Ofcom
“…helped me have a picture of making sure we were on the right path and feeling our way to a good destination” - Paul Royall, Editor of BBC’s Six and Ten O’clock News
“we read with fascination your [Cardiff University] reports every week and I think we came out alright” - Ben De Pear, Head of Channel 4 News
Media coverage
The research generated considerable interest and discussion. For example on:
Guardian links
The research was published in the Media Guardian during the campaign, and widely shared and discussed on social media.
- Cushion, Stephen and Sambrook, Richard (2015) ‘How TV news let the Tories fight the election on their own terms’, in The Guardian, May 15
- Cushion, Stephen and Sambrook, Richard (2015) TV news focuses on election race at expense of policy issues in The Guardian, 7 May
- Cushion, Stephen and Sambrook, Richard (2015) More election TV soundbites are attack-driven rather than policy-based in The Guardian, 30 April
- Cushion, Stephen and Sambrook, Richard (2015) Channels 4 and 5 giving Tories more airtime than other broadcasters, The Guardian, 24 April
- Cushion, Stephen and Sambrook, Richard (2015) ‘The BBC has focused more on policy in election coverage’ in The Guardian, 16 April
- Cushion, Stephen and Sambrook, Richard (2015) ‘Election coverage: how the parties and leaders are faring on television’ in The Guardian, 12 April
- Cushion, Stephen and Sambrook, Richard (2015) ‘Who will dominate the general election TV news agenda’ in The Guardian, March 30
Other relevant media articles
- Cushion, Stephen and Sambrook, Richard (2015) ‘The ‘horse-race’ contest dominated TV news election coverage’ in Jackson, Daniel and Thorson, Einar, UK Election Analysis 2015: Media, Voters and the Campaign
- Cushion, Stephen and Sambrook, Richard (2015) ‘Britain’s broadcast media could be kingmakers after the election’, The Conversation, May 6
- Cushion, Stephen and Sambrook, Richard (2015) ‘British newspapers are in decline but they still make the political weather’, The Conversation, April 24
- Cushion, Stephen (2015) ‘General election 2015: Tonight is a fantastic opportunity for 'minor' parties to reach a major audiences in the televised election debate’, Wales Online, April 2
- Cushion, Stephen (2015) ‘Election live two-ways: How far should journalists interpret the politics?’ BBC College of Journalism, March 23:
- Cushion, Stephen and Ramsay, Gordon Neil (2015) ‘Media coverage, TV debates and minor parties’ in MeCCSA: Three-D Issue 24
- Cushion, Stephen and Ramsay, Gordon Neil (2015) ‘Research shows why Cameron is wise to avoid TV debates and stick to newspapers’ in The Conversation, March 6
- Cushion, Stephen and Ramsay, Gordon (2015) ‘A seven-horse race? How minor parties are being squeezed out of campaign coverage’, Total Politics, 2 March
Relevant academic articles related to elections
- Cushion, Stephen Thomas, Richard and Ellis, Oliver (2015) ‘The mediatization of second order elections: UK television news reporting of the 2014 EU campaign’ in International Journal of Communication, Vol. 9: 1523-1543
- Cushion, Stephen, Thomas, Richard and Ellis, Oliver (2015) ‘Interpreting UKIP’s “earthquake” in British politics: A comparative study of UK television news coverage during the 2009 and 2014 EU election campaigns’ in Political Quarterly, Vol. 86 (2): 314–322
- Cushion, Stephen and Thomas, Richard (2015) ‘Comparing the news value of second order elections: Campaign reporting of the 2009 and 2013 local and EU elections on public and commercially driven UK television news’ in British Politics, ifirst
The project team
Grant holder
Team
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Emeritus Professor
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Support
This research was made possible through the support of the following organisations: