Democracy requires a free and independent media, not least during elections when there is a particular need fairly to scrutinise parties, politicians and manifestos. This is a far cry from what we have in the UK.
Rigorous academic research shows that, in the first three weeks of the election campaign, coverage of Labour in the press has been overwhelmingly negative, with the Conservatives receiving consistently positive coverage. This imbalance skews online provision, given the fact that four of the eight digital outlets with the biggest reach are legacy newspapers.
The outlet with by far the biggest reach and most influence is the BBC, which prides itself on its “impartiality”. Yet the BBC has, during the course of this election, been forced twice to apologise for errors that showed Boris Johnson in a positive light, and broke its commitment not to allow the prime minister on to the Andrew Marr programme until he agreed to an interview with Andrew Neil on the spurious basis that this was in the “public interest” following the terrorist attack of 29 November.
The most powerful sections of the UK media are simply not prepared to let citizens freely make up their own minds on Labour policies, nor to scrutinise Conservative claims systematically. Social media may have provided a vital, if limited, platform for Labour to communicate directly with audiences, but our best-known media commentators and wealthiest proprietors are intent on delivering an election result that preserves their power and prestige. Far-reaching media reform, along the lines suggested by the Media Reform Coalition, has never been so necessary.
Prof Des Freedman
Department of media, communications and cultural studies, Goldsmiths, University of London
• Your report on the acquisition of the i newspaper by the owners of the Daily Mail (30 November) says “it is unlikely to run into any competition problems as News UK, the publisher of the Sun, the Times and the Sunday Times, controls about 36% of the UK market”. Yet this would mean that 65% of the UK national newspaper market is in the control of just two men. Rightwing media moguls “competing” against each other is not the diversity of ownership or perspectives the country needs.
Derrick Cameron
Stoke-on-Trent
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