How accurate is the dominant ideology theory of voting behaviour

1
How accurate is the dominant ideology theory of
voting behaviour?
2
How well do you know your newspaper bias?

• Which parties do the newspapers support today?

Click here for a list of national papers
3
? Your task

• Read Roberts, p.105-7 and try to answer the
  following questions.
• What is the dominant ideology theory?
• How significant is party bias in the press?
• How reliable is press support?
• How biased are TV and radio broadcasters?
• How susceptible are voters to media bias?
• How have parties responded to media bias?

4
What is the dominant ideology model?

• Establishment influence voting behaviour
• They do so via key institutions, e.g. media,
  government, big business
• Establishment supports major parties

Blairs speech to US Congress. Was this good or
bad publicity for Blair?
5
How significant is party bias in the press?

• Majority of voters read national newspaper
• Tabloid newspapers openly partisan
• Press traditionally pro-Cons, e.g. 1992 GE Sun
  campaigned for Tories
• 1997 11 national newspapers campaigned for New
  Labour

Tony Blair epitomised New Labours new
professional image
6
How reliable is press support?

• Commentators argued that Blair negotiated support
  of papers in return for greater press freedom
• 2001 GE tabloids supported Blair, but less
  emphatically or later changed support
• Press predicted Labour victory did not want to
  back losing side for commercial reasons

7
How biased are TV and radio broadcasters?

• Public broadcasters must be neutral
• Two main parties receive more air time during GE
  campaigns
• Debate is set by newspapers
• Govt. of day receives more coverage

8
How susceptible are voters to media bias?

• Greater impact in climate of party dealignment
  and electoral volatility
• Possible influence on floating voters
• How can you isolate effects of media bias from
  other factors?
• Long term effect of media bias, e.g. Kinnock
  (Lab) David (Lib Dems)

In a period characterised by electoral volatility
and party dealignment, how much more powerful is
the media?
9
How have parties responded to the media?

• New Labour abandoned socialist policies, e.g.
  Clause 4 to appeal to right-wing media
• Spin-doctoring
• Alastair Campbell regularly attack BBC for
  reporting inaccuracies, e.g. Dr Kelly Today
  programme

Greg Dyke, Director General of the BBC lost his
job over the way his organisation reported the
run-up to the Iraq War
10
? Your task

• Discuss the following questions in pairs, before
  sharing your views with the rest of the class.

Click here for a copy of the questionnaire