Importance of Impartiality in Media Coverage of Political Controversies and Elections

This essay highlights the importance of impartiality of media coverage in covering political controversies and election. It develops a comparative study between the practicality of impartial and partial news media in influencing political coverage. The discussion further highlights the significance of both partial and impartial media on the context of the UK politics.

Running Head: MEDIA AND POLITICS
MEDIA AND POLITICS
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News media has been identified as one of the important factors in influencing the
political discourses in the present case scenario. As a matter of fact media play an important role
in shaping politics. The closeness with the public and the providing news related to politics and
the government are the key facets of media. In fact, it can be argued that media is considered to
be the only authentic source that can share information related to politics and the government
privately (Strömberg 2015). As a result of that media is also known as the ‘fourth estate of
government’. Moreover, there is a continuous influence of the news media over politics and it
plays the role of a key deciding factor by manipulating the popular psyche in a sober way.
However with the development in the over all aspects of media or to some extent with the
growing popularity of the social media the vitality and significance of the news media is getting
bogged down (Chadwick, Dennis and Smith 2016). In addition to this, the traditional impartial
attitude of the news media is also transformed sharply and reflecting a bias approach.
Therefore, the aim of this essay is to highlight the importance of impartiality of media
coverage in covering political controversies and election. As a matter of fact the essay is not
supporting impartiality rather develops a comparative study between the practicality of impartial
and partial news media in influencing political coverage. In addition to this, the discussion
further highlights the significance of both partial and impartial media on the context of the UK
politics.
It can be stated that media played a benevolent part in democracy. Benevolent in this
context is used as media has the power to extract and share authentic information regarding the
political situation internationally or individual country which fervours the essence of democracy.
In fact, only the media has the ability to collect information which are very sensitive but can lead
to a mass response. In Democracy, people have the right to get information though this trend

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arises in the post modern society and these information guides to influence the rational voters
(Menon and Salter 2016). This is referred as the rational learning model of media effect. For an
example, it can be stated that UK has a strong background of independent media. In fact, the
British media operates in a flexible environment and as a result of that generate more influence
on the decision making roles of the citizens in election. During the election of 2010, the political
swing of The Sun towards the Conservatives increased the vote for the part up to 13.5% (Moore,
M., and Ramsay 2017).
In this regard, it can be opined that due to the advent of digitization the role of media
becomes increased in a rapid manner. In recent times, the term media also connotes social media
and internet besides the traditional newspapers. In the last election, it was seen that around 51%
of the British social media users actively joined the political activity during the general election
and 72% of the population felt that they were directly involved in the election process (Pope
2017). According to the 2017 Audit on UK Democracy it can be seen that the influence of the
popular news TV channels like BBC, Sky News and newspapers like the Daily Mirror, Daily
Mail, and the Sun have a significant impact on the UK people (Williams et al. 2016).
Besides this, not only in election procedure, revealing the political controversies is also
considered to be a part of the media. For an example, during the Brexit British news media
covered almost the entire scenario of the controversies. However, there are lot of debates
regarding the role of the media during the Brexit incident. In the opinion of Williams et al.
(2016) the British media played a significant role by influencing the British people to vote for the
decision of Britain to leave the European Union.

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The systematic review of data and the manner in which the proper functioning of the
news media is restricted influenced the suitable performance of the news media while operating
in the different structures. There are different situations where the news media is often
subjugated and pressurized by the political parties to focus on the different media items for the
personal benefits and the growth of the same. However, the ethical considerations imposed by
Journalism focused on the manner in which the impartiality can be maintained in order to retain
the authenticity of the news that is being delivered. For instance, The Times supported the
electoral position as stated by Theresa May for negotiating a “Hard Brexit” for UK. The news
media, being bias, did not ask for the opinion of the commoners (Cushion and Lewis 2017). As
per the different sources, the UK media scripted the total response and thereby brought in
biasness in their approach of portrayal. It has affected the code of ethics that is followed in
Journalism. On the other hand, the demand of the commoners plays a major role while
publishing the reports. The impartial approach that was undertaken by the different news media
houses during the UK elections had to face issues relating to the preferences of the commoners.
On the other hand, the Economist magazine stressed on backing the Liberal Democrats against
Theresa May’s hard Brexit. Barnett (2012) noted that the biases has affected the aim of the
journalist to impart awareness among the commoners of the elections that are being held in UK.
The lack of proper knowledge and negation of involving the commoners in election procedures
through the identification of their needs has affected the manner in which partiality has affected
the election systems.
Fielden (2016) stated that there are certain issues that gain public attention and thereby
most of the news media houses undertake steps to publish news as per the interests of the people
in order to retain the profitability of the same. The impartiality of the news media houses

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adhering to the ethics of journalism helps in maintaining the standards of reporting. However,
there are different instances when the news media fails to adhere to the different ethical
considerations while reporting electoral campaigns and the like.
The contradictory concepts of truthfulness and biasness affect the ethical functioning of
the news media houses while reporting on different situations. The ethical standpoints help in
ensuring the authenticity of the news that is being circulated. The growth of broadcasting in 1949
introduced the ‘Fairness Doctrine’, which provided the news media houses with the license of
presenting controversial issues that interests the public. The Federal Communication
Commission emphasized on the honesty, equitability, and balance of the news reports as per the
ethical standpoints (Cushion and Lewis 2017). Impartiality that is maintained by the newspaper
organization helps in maintaining the standards of reporting as per the ethics of journalism.
Impartiality of the news media helps in ensuring the authenticity of the news that is being
portrayed for making the people aware of the different changes that are going on in the
environment.
Impartiality of the media helps in maintaining the ethical background of reporting and
journalism. The interpretation that is offered by the journalists while reporting on the different
electoral campaigns must be impartial in order to make the commoners aware of the real time
situation. Seaton (2016) stated that the right and the left winged perspectives attacked the
impartiality of the media, more specifically BBC. Communication of the authentic news helps in
making the commoners aware of the different changes in political and the social conditions.
However, partiality that is being reported in the UK media has affected the knowledge of the
people relating to the changes. However, there are situations when impartiality offers a paradox
as the reporting is to be made in a singular perspective. Therefore, it gives a little scope to

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commoners for identifying the output of the news that is being circulated by the media. The
contrasts in the ‘Fairness Doctrine’ was indicated by Cushion et al. (2018) where the author gave
references of different instances where the impartial approach of the news media was criticized.
However, the different aspects of reporting, as per the ethical considerations that are held by
journalism, emphasized on authenticity rather than fabrication and misleading activities that
might create an ambience of falsehood.
Partiality in Media is not a new trend. In fact with the advent of globalisation, the attitude
of the media houses and the journalists has become changed sharply. In recent times, the news
broadcasting programs such as political shows, political drama or breaking stories are circulated
with a mindset that are based on bias decision making. In this regard, according to Entman
(2007) there are three types of biasness that prevalent in the news media industry. For an
example, in case of distorted or falsified news it can be identified as distortion bias. Besides this,
favouring a political camp in the context of a political conflict can be referred as content bias.
Moreover, deliberately producing biased content is belonged to the decision making bias
(Chadwick 2017).
Those identifications have a sharp distinction and always are performed under the
observation of the journalists. It is the purpose of the media house or individual journalist to
cater information based on any of the mentioned types of biasness. For an instance, in case of the
food banking politics in Britain the role of media became so influential that people started relied
on the news article blindly (Gibson 2015). It was related to the lack of government responsibility
to deal with the issue of food emergency. In this context, the British media started politicizing
the issue rather making a neutral news story of the incident. In that case, the British media
reflected closeness to the Conservative Party when the Conservative government was assured to

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increase number of food banks (Purdam, Garratt and Esmail 2016). However, the issue was not
so lucid and it was linked with the emerging impact of austerity in the country. As far as the
opposition claimants were concerned, they argued that it was a deliberate approach of the
government to suppress the issue regarding their responsibility to deal with the emerging threat
of austerity in UK (Chadwick 2017). In fact, due to their allegiance to the government the UK
media also deliberately covering the food bank foundation rather covered the real fact behind it.
Besides this, in the Brexit polls also the UK media had played a significant role. The
government with the help of the British media conducted campaign to influence the British
people to cast their vote for the exclusion from European Union. In this respect, the rhetoric and
approaches of the campaign was enflamed by the national media. They vehemently put focus on
the damage of the economic consequences of Brexit. Consequently on the question of the
immigrants, the UK national media started emphasising the adverse impact of immigration on
British soil. Santana-Pereira (2015) reflected that out of 111 articles most of the newspapers
possessed an intolerant approach towards the Arabs and the Turks. For an instance, in case of the
Turks 98% of the newspapers reflection was negative and 100% negative approach was reflected
towards the Albanians. The other political issues became sidelined by the exposure of the
immigration and economic decision in terms of Brexit. It was a political manipulation played by
both the UK government and the national media to shift the gaze of the UK people towards the
good thing rather than dealt with the other important concerns (Purdam, Garratt and Esmail
2016).
The significance of the ethical standard relating to the impartial approach that is followed
in journalism is based on the authentication of the news that is being circulated. The evolution of
latest technologies and different social media platforms over the web has permitted the

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utilization of fabrication. However, the imposition of the different ethical standards has helped in
maintaining the authenticity of the news that is imparted to the commoners. Bélair‐Gagnon
(2013) stated that the significance of an impartial approach that is undertaken by the media helps
in involving the common people in the decision making process. The mass media is often stated
as the voice of the commoners to make the administrative authorities aware of the different
issues that are faced by the same. The impartial and ethical communication that is undertaken by
the media channels helps in establishing the truthfulness and unbiased operations. The nation
operate on the welfare of the people and thereby the news media houses helps in
communicating the different essential elements of the political and socio- economic reforms to
make the people aware of the change that they might be facing. Biased reporting often acts as a
barrier between the commoners and the higher administrative and legislative bodies which
permits blindfolded decision making which might adversely affect the commoners. Therefore,
the maintenance of the ethical standards, most favourably impartiality, while reporting helps in
maintaining the authentication of the reports. The principles of the ethical journalism help in
retaining the dignity of the profession and thereby make news nearer to the truth. Fabrication of
the news report affects the objective of the news media channels related to the communication of
authentic news to the commoners.
Based on the above understanding, it can be argued that impartiality is an important
aspect that all the news media should possess in their occupational framework. Despite of giving
ample of evidences where the national media of United Kingdom made an attempt to cover the
political events in the light of a partial approach there are still some newspapers that followed the
principles of impartiality. For an instance, the Loughborough University’s studies of the past UK
general election highlighted that the presence of impartiality in UK media paved the way for

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creating a balance between the politically right and the opposition (Cushion et al. 2016). In this
regard, it can be defined that it is the right of the common people to get factual news with
authenticity so that they can understand a clear idea about the political events circled around UK.
It is only the decision of the citizens to make an unbiased stance during the elections and
political controversies.
However, the question of partiality is a matter of question. As per the BBC guidelines on
impartiality it can be argued that impartiality is a concept that maintains a balance between
opposing viewpoints. Moreover, scholars are sceptical about the relevance and practicality of
partiality in every news article. However, the alternative aspect approach is more significant in
terms of the relevance of impartiality in UK media. Based on this understanding an article
reviewed in The Independent claimed that partial or fake news stories are creating crisis in the
democratic system (Godin and Doná 2016). Systematic manipulation of data and the political
underpinnings can cause severe threat to the democratic proceedings like election. According to
the Tory MP Damian Collins who is also the head of the digital, culture, media and sport
committee partiality and biasness in media will lead to manipulating the popular psyche and as a
result of that it develops problem for the democratic establishment (Buchan 2018). Therefore, for
the sake of democracy and its different activities like electoral proceedings it is getting important
to facilitate an impartial media communication.
There is a considerable role of the media in influencing the decision making process of
the readers. Especially in case of the politics and cognate topics it becomes very significant. In
this regard, in UK politics the national media also plays a pivotal role in terms of covering some
political controversies or election procedure. Subsequently, the question of impartiality seems to
be obvious. Therefore, this essay puts emphasis on the nature of British media as an impartial

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broadcasting network and its importance. After conducting an in-depth study on the impartial
attitude of the British media it can be concluded that the term impartial is very important. In fact,
the ethical consideration of media and journalism demands neutral investigation and caters the
news unbiased. As a result of that impartial media becomes very important for both securing the
democratic principles and at the same time will generate unbiased news so that the people can
measure the situation of their own and take adequate decision in politics.

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