During the Leveson inquiry, media figures were quick to praise the UK's rigorous, thriving, challenging press. It's the envy of the world, we were told. But how has the UK media actually performed this election? How has it held power to account, and reported on the issues that affect voters?
In partnership with Avaaz, we surveyed the Telegraph, the Mail, the Sun and the Times for the period April 6th to May 6th. Here are some trends we noticed:
1) Mentions
of food banks (10) vs mentions of Miliband's bacon sandwich (18)
bacon.jpg Flickr/Andy Lamb. Some rights reserved.
2) Mentions of the Health and Social Care Act (8) vs calling Miliband a "backstabber" (24)
nhs4.jpg
Flickr/The Weekly Bull. Some rights reserved.
3) Mentions of lobbying
reform (1) vs mentions of Mr Cameron's children (9)
straw.jpg Jack Straw was suspended from his party over "cash for access". Flickr/Chatham House, London. Some rights reserved.
4) Mentions of the
coalition's failure to reform banking (1) vs mentions of Miliband's
kitchens (17)
hsbc_0.jpg Flickr/gyverchangphotos. Some rights reserved.
5) Articles mentioning the coalition's NHS reforms and privatisation (8) vs mentions
of Samantha Cameron (25)
Oliver Huitson. All rights reserved.
6) Mentions
of the coalition's record on excessive pay in the banking sector (1) vs articles
on the royal family (185)
charles.jpg
Flickr/Iguanasan. Some rights reserved.
7) Mentions
of the bedroom tax (12) vs Miliband insults (71)
bedroom.jpg
Flickr/Ant Smith. Some rights reserved.
8) Discussion
of electoral reform (1) vs the false assertion that the party with most
seats "wins" and should form the government (47)
Oliver Huitson is a former Co-Editor at openDemocracyUK and a freelance journalist. He contributed chapters to Jenny Manson's 2012 book, 'Public Service on the Brink', and 'NHS SOS' (2013). He has wri
In the fuzzy world of European identity and future though unspecified "reforms" the EU can sound great. But I'll be voting on what the EU is, and what it does, and what it wants to do.
