Massive media bias against the 'No' side of the Nice debate
national |
miscellaneous |
news report 
Thursday September 26, 2002 23:49
by Colm O Broin
I've carried out a survey of the Nice debate in the Irish Times and Irish Independent from Mon 09/09 up to Sat. 21/09 and I've found that the "Yes" side of the argument gets 66% of the coverage in the Times and a massive 87% in the Independent. Free press me eye!
Over the last few weeks I had noticed that the newspapers seemed to be giving more coverage to the "Yes" side of the Nice debate than the "No" side , so I decided to check it out properly. I bought a copy of the Irish Times and the Irish Independent everyday from Monday 9th Sept up until Saturday 21st Sept and measured the amount of column space given to each side of the argument. I included all the news articles that reported on speeches or press releases made by the various groups involved in the debate, plus the opinion articles and letters to the editor.
The results (in CMs) are as follows:
Irish Times Mon 9th Sept.-Sat 21st Sept.
Total (Articles Letters Opinion )
Yes No (Yes No Yes No Yes No )
1101 569 (854 325 169 173 78 59 )
66% 34% (72% 28% 49% 51% 57% 43%)
Irish Independent Mon 9th Sept.-Sat 21st Sept.
Total (Articles Letters Opinion )
Yes No (Yes No Yes No Yes No )
652 93 (544 73 37 20 63 0 )
87% 13% (88% 12% 65% 35% 100% 0% )
So there you have it, my suspicion has been confirmed! The Irish Times gives twice as much space to the “Yes” side while the Indo gives almost seven times as much over the two weeks. The Times is consistant in its bias, giving 66% of the coverage to the “Yes” side each week. The bias is even worse with regard to their news articles, the “No” side gets only 28% of the space.
The Independent’s coverage of the Nice debate is simply a disgrace. It gives the “Yes” side 87% of the coverage. The “No” side only gets covered on three days out of the twelve surveyed. It seems its not only politicians and business interests that are desperate to get this treaty passed. Of course the two newspapers are entitled to print whatever they want, they are private companies after all. However I think the average punter should be aware that the media have their own agenda and aren’t always as unbiased and impartial as they let on.
If any progressive anti-Nice groups want to use this info then feel free to copy it.
These are the results for the two weeks separately.
Irish Times Mon 9th Sept.-Sat 14th Sept
Total (Articles Letters Opinion )
Yes No (Yes No Yes No Yes No )
509 265 (480 146 29 48 0 59 )
66% 34% (77% 23% 37% 63% 0% 100% )
Irish Times Mon 16th Sept.-Sat 21st Sept
Total (Articles Letters Opinion )
Yes No (Yes No Yes No Yes No )
592 304 (374 179 140 125 78 59 )
66% 34% (68% 32% 53% 47% 100% 0%)
Irish Independent Mon 9th Sept.-Sat 14th Sept
Total (Articles Letters Opinion )
Yes No (Yes No Yes No Yes No )
243 28 (212 9 24 20 )
90% 10% (96% 4% 55% 45% )
Irish Independent Mon 16th Sept.-Sat 21st Sept
Total (Articles Letters Opinion )
Yes No (Yes No Yes No Yes No)
409 93 ( 332 65 13 0 63 0 )
86% 14% ( 84% 16% 100% 0% 100% 0%)
Below are the names of all the articles and the amount of column space given to the different sides.
Irish Times
Monday 9th Sept.
1: No to Nice is dingbat stuff-Ahern
Yes No
11cm 9cm
Tuesday 10th Sept.
1: Nice poll fate uncertain
Yes No
5.8cm 0cm
2: Sinn Féin "take cue from Tory right"
Yes No
10cm 3cm
Wednesday 11th Sept.
1: Ahern says Nice vote will "set course for the future"
Yes No
46.5cm 0cm
2: Impassioned plea for Yes vote by Fine Gael leader
Yes No
34.5cm 0cm
3: Farm leaders criticised over attitude
Yes No
24.5cm 0cm
4: Nice crucial to growth-Chamber head
Yes No
14.2cm 0cm
5: Sutherland says young people stand to lose most
Yes No
36.8cm 0cm
6:Decision should be based on future of Europe
Yes No
12cm 15cm
7: Enlargement will go ahead anyway-Flynn
Yes No
19cm 15cm
8: No campaign challenges Coalition over "slurs"
Yes No
9.5cm 16.5cm
Thursday 12th Sept.
1: Roche replaces MacSharry on EU Convention
Yes No
13cm 3cm
2: TDs give go-ahead for Nice poll by 98 votes to 13
Yes No
7cm 22cm
3: Another No to Nice would signal rejection of States role in Europe-Harney
Yes No
38.5cm 0cm
4: Neutrality "protocal" amendment is rejected
Yes No
7.5cm 11.5cm
5:Greens attack use of "scare tactics"
Yes No
10.5cm 18cm
6: Nice is "bigger than Bertie Ahern or Mary Harney" Forum on Europe told
Yes No
16cm 10cm
Friday 14th Sept
1:Saying No "could breed Neo-Facism"
Yes No
34.5cm 0cm
2: New alliance group opens its Yes campaign
Yes No
30.5cm 0cm
3: There will be no European army, says Finnish Prime Minister
Yes No
16cm 10cm
4: Yes side accused of scare tactics on economy
Yes No
0cm 18cm
Saturday 15th Sept
1: Cox among speakers for FF seminar on Nice
Yes No
30.5cm 6cm
2: Ó Cuiv Yes vote follows Government assurances
Yes No
26cm 0cm
3: Seanad passes legislation for treaty referendum
Yes No
18.5cm 0cm
Monday 16/09
1:Farmers warned of risk if Nice is regected
Yes No
20cm 0cm
2: IBEC invests heavily in campaign for a Yes vote to Nice
Yes No
35.5cm 0cm
3: Former Attorney General says Ahern rolled over on Treaty
Yes No
0cm 23cm
4: Don’t become a stone in Europe’s shoe
Yes No
54cm 0cm
Letters
Yes No
0cm 42cm
Tuesday 17/09
1: European trade unionists add backing to Yes camp
Yes No
30cm 0cm
2: Ireland must not miss out on debate-De Rossa
Yes No
10cm 0cm
3: Verheugen appeals to Irish to be open to EU expansion
Yes No
21.5cm 0cm
Wednesday 18/09
1: Bruton disowns colleagues EU tax plan
Yes No
33cm 3cm
2: Senate would “reconnect citizens with EU project”
Yes No
12.5cm 1cm
3: Author claims neutrality threatened by treaty
Yes No
0cm 19cm
4: Ahern demands full effort on Nice
Yes No
17cm 0cm
5: Cox urges Fianna Fáil members to campaign for Yes vote
Yes No
22cm 0cm
Letters
Yes No
24.5cm 25cm
Thursday 19/09
1: Cabinet to clear way today for second Nice treaty poll
Yes No
1.5cm 3cm
2: States could “veto” Irish development
Yes No
16cm 13cm
3: Alliance says yes vote will help disabled children
Yes No
25cm 0cm
4: Sister parties get behind Young Fine Gael
Yes No
11cm 0cm
5: Greens accuse Government
Yes No
0cm 3.5cm
6: Anarchists to campaign together
Yes No
0cm 3.5cm
7: McCartin appeals to Farmers
Yes No
4.5cm 0cm
8: No campaign says Nice will cost jobs
Yes No
0cm 3.5cm
Letters
Yes No
48cm 0cm
Friday 20/09
1: Nice about growth, not issues at home, says Ahern
Yes No
25cm 4cm
2: Saturday poll to maximise youth vote-Ahern
Yes No
12cm 0cm
3: Treaty not the problem for Irish farmers, says IFA deputy leader
Yes No
24cm 0cm
4: Defining moment for Ireland, says Cox
Yes No
22cm 0cm
5: Alliance joins battle for a No vote to Nice
Yes No
0cm 39cm
6: Sinn Féin says treaty will create “two-tier Europe”
Yes No
0cm 17cm
Letters
Yes No
44cm 30cm
Editorial
Yes No
24cm 0cm
Saturday 21/09
1: Forum opponents are preaching to the converted
Yes No
10cm 8cm
2: Mac Sharry and Cox warn against No vote
Yes No
32cm 0cm
3: McKenna accuses media of Yes bias
Yes No
0cm 23cm
4: Outcome will be known day after poll
Yes No
0cm 14cm
Letters
Yes No
18cm 28cm
Irish Independent
Monday 9th Sept
1: Nobody will listen to us if we vote No, Ahern insists
Yes No
38cm 0cm
2: Financial Centre at heart of Yes campaign group
Yes No
7cm 0cm
Tuesday 10th Sept
There were no articles promoting the "Yes" or "No" arguments that day
Wednesday 11th September
1: Yes vote on Nice "vital for long-term prosperity"
Yes No
30.5cm 0cm
2: No "Plan B" if Treaty is rejected
Yes No
17cm 0cm
3: Over 30 billion euros in farm aid received
Yes No
8.5cm 0cm
4: Cox hits out at No vote campaigners for "stoking" migrant fear
Yes No
20cm 0cm
5: Ahern "shallow speech" under fire
Yes No
11.5cm 0cm
Thursday 12th Sept
1: No vote to treaty would cost us jobs, says Harney
Yes No
28.5cm 0cm
2: Politicians standing by, spoons at the ready, to deliver cod liver oil dose
Yes No
4.5cm 0cm
3: Greens label Nice debate "a farce"
Yes No
0cm 8.5cm
Friday 13th Sept
1: Yes alliance warns No vote would weaken our link to EU
Yes No
32cm 0cm
Saturday 14th Sept
1: Walsh warns against rejection of Nice over farming's hard times
Yes No
21cm 0cm
Monday 16/09
1: Anxious IBEC opens 500,000 Euro “Yes” campaign
Yes No
37cm 0cm
2: “Creeping militarisation” just another nasty myth
Yes No
60cm 0cm
3: Building bosses back treaty vote
Yes No
18cm 0cm
Tuesday 17/09
1: ICTU calls for Yes vote amid union inertia
Yes No
27cm 0cm
Wednesday 18/09
1: Political chiefs come out fighting for a Yes vote
Yes No
45cm 0cm
Thursday 19/09
1: Big fish will not bully small fry in enlarged EU, insists minister
Yes No
18cm 0cm
2: Millions of disabled will “gain from ratification”
Yes No
14.5cm 0cm
Opinion
Bertie cannot afford to dither over Nice
Yes No
63cm 0cm
Letters
Yes No
13.5cm 0cm
Friday 20/09
1: Young voters hold key to reversing the Nice result
Yes No
6cm 3cm
2: Divided farmers and fisherman urged to join Yes side
Yes No
15cm 0cm
3: Left alliance gears up for new battle to defeat treaty
Yes No
0cm 32cm
4: Second No “would leave us friendless”
Yes No
16cm 0cm
5: “Punish coalition” call
Yes No
0cm 8cm
Saturday 21/09
1: So you think this is last poll? Wait for Nice 3
Yes No
6cm 0cm
2: Yes vote a “win-win” situation
Yes No
9cm 0cm
3: Greens accuse Ahern of trying to dupe voters
Yes No
0cm 22cm
4: German-Irish chamber backs “yes” vote
Yes No
16cm 0cm