University Media Study Group in their monitoring of news bulletins

The Glasgow

University Media Study Group in their monitoring of news bulletins has been particularly

critical of news reporting. In their analysis of news bulletins in January 1975 they found

that the five industrial disputes in vehicle building, accounting for 21 per cent of the days

lost through strikes in the month, received 125 out of a total of 130 news rep0l1s of

strikes in the UK. They also established that in 22 news reports of the Glasgow dustcart

drivers’ unofficial strike in

the same year, the unofficial snikers were not represented in any of the 21 interviews

shown on, the national news during the 13 weeks of the dispute. One mayor may not

have had sympathy for the unofficial snikers, but viewers were not likely to be able to

make that judgment for themselves if one side of the case was not presented.

The criticisms of television coverage of news and CUlTent affairs reponing received

some endorsement in the Annan report on the future of broadcasting published in 1977.

Comment was made about the variability of current affairs presentation and for the need

for improvement in news Television News bulletins. This included the

observation that ‘Both BBC Television News and ITN, but particularly the former, could

be improved. News is

presented in too stereotyped a fashion; there is too little vaIiety, too little punch and there

are too few attempts to give brief explanatory comments. Whilst the Annan rep011 did

not endorse all the criticisms made of television reporting, they did point out a large

number of other weaknesses in some areas. These included the lack of understanding

of industrial life by some producers, the preference by others for presenting cunent

affairs in the style of a boxing promoter, the dangers of social insularity of television

producers, and camera bias.