Lesson video

Hello, my name's Mrs. Hastings.

Welcome to today's lesson.

Today's lesson comes from the unit, "What are the different ways we can become involved in politics?" And the title for today's lesson is "What happens to the media during elections?" I'm really looking forward to taking you on your learning journey today.

We're going to learn a lot of new information and also think really critically about the role of the media.

So I think it's time to get started.

Good luck.

So by the end of today's lesson, you will be able to analyse the role of the media during elections and assess how influential it is on election outcomes.

So let's have a look at our keywords for today's lesson.

Media, the different ways we share and receive information on a large scale.

For example, television, radio, newspapers, and the internet.

Election, the voting process to select a person for a public position.

And bias, having a one-sided view of a person or group, often influenced by personal opinions, beliefs, or experiences.

What happens to media during elections? So there's three parts to our learning cycle today.

First one is, how does the media operate during election time? Secondly, how accurately does the media inform voters? And the third learning cycle, how influential is the media on election outcomes? So let's start with our first learning cycle.

How does the media operate during election time? The word "media" refers to different ways of mass communication, how information is communicated.

What different forms of media can you think of, and which forms of media do you use? Have a think.

Have a quick discussion with your learning partner, and think of the different forms of media that you can think of, and which ones that you personally use.

Pause the video whilst you do that.

So there are several forms of media that you might have come up with in your discussions, including print media.

So that's newspapers, magazines, and brochures.

Broadcast media, which is TV and radio.

Digital media, websites, blogs, and social media platforms. Outdoor media, that's advert hoardings.

So those big posters you might see on the sides of roads if you're travelling down a road, or the motorway, or on the trains, for example, at railway stations.

Bus wraps, so you might see in buses that are advertising things.

Posters and signs.

Film and video, that's films, documentaries, and online video content.

The news media, which is specifically news websites, news apps, and online newsletters.

The media's role is to inform the public on important issues.

During an election, the media helps political parties raise their profile and share their manifestos, while also serving as a tool to scrutinise them.

The pre-election period known as heightened sensitivity, occurs in the weeks before an election or referendum.

It involves specific communication rules to ensure neutrality.

So that means that to ensure that there is no bias towards one political party or another, and that the media, some forms of the media are reporting neutrally, and prevent influencing the outcome.

Its length varies by election type.

During this time, governments, ministers, and civil servants must avoid announcements or decisions that could influence the campaign.

Under the political parties, Elections and Referendum Act (2000), political parties must adhere to spending limits during election campaigns.

In the 2024 General Election, the spending limit for parties was 54,010 pounds per constituency contested.

So for every constituency they contested that they put up somebody to for election that people could vote for if they wanted to, then that's the amount that they could spend per constituency.

This spending cap encompasses various forms of advertising, including digital content such as videos on popular streaming platforms and physical materials such as banners.

You might have seen people walking around streets in rosettes or wearing T-shirts.

So all of that would've been incorporated into that spending.

So let's check our understanding of what we've learned so far.

I'd like you to match the form of media to the correct example.

So A, print media.

B, broadcast media.

C, digital media, and D, outdoor media.

And then the examples are one, radio, two, social media, three, newspapers, and four, advertising hoardings.

So match the form of media to the correct example.

Okay, let's check.

A, the example is newspapers for print media.

B, broadcast media, the example is radio.

C, digital media, the example is social media.

And D, outdoor media, the example is advertising holdings.

So well done if you got that right.

We're going to have a look at party election broadcast now, which you may have or may not during the last election scene.

And these were introduced in 1951, that's when the first general election broadcast known as party political broadcast outside of election time was televised.

Politicians were able to speak directly to the electorate via television, TV.

So TV back then was a new invention.

This is a new way of communicating with the electorate.

By 1959, party election broadcasts were a significant part of the election campaign.

Really good way of reaching voters.

Today, the Broadcasters Liaison Group coordinate party election and party political broadcasts, ensuring all political parties get a fair share of airtime.

Another way that the media operates during election time is through TV debates.

And this is fairly recently that TV debates have happened.

The UK's first televised election debate was in 2010 with Gordon Brown, Nick Clegg, and David Cameron.

So Gordon Brown for labour, Nick Clegg for Liberal Democrats, and David Cameron for the Conservative Party.

During the 2010 campaign, the Prime Ministerial TV debates reached over 22 million people with each individual debate reaching around 9.

4 million people.

So they were held on different broadcasters.

So the BBC, ITV, etc.

TV debates give the electorate the opportunity to hear from political party leaders firsthand.

So let's check our understanding.

The statements below are all incorrect.

Identify the one mistake in each statement and correct it.

In 1951, the first local election broadcast was televised.

Two, the UK's first televised election debate was broadcast in 2008.

And three, radio debates give the electorate the opportunity to hear from political party leaders firsthand.

So find the incorrect, the mistake in each of those statements and correct it.

Okay, so for number one in 1951, the first general election broadcast is televised, not local.

Two, the UK's first televised election debate was broadcast in 2010, not in 2008.

And TV, not radio, debates give the electorate the opportunity to hear from political party leaders firsthand.

So well done if you've got those right.

So what I'd like you to do for your practise task for this learning cycle is to summarise into five key points the role of the media during an election.

So pause the video whilst you complete this task.

Well done for completing that task.

So I asked you to summarise into five key points the role of the media during an election.

Your five points could include the word "media" relates to different ways of mass communication.

During an election, the media is essential for political parties to raise their profile and relay their manifestos.

Political parties must adhere to spending limits during election campaigns.

In 1951, the first general election broadcast was televised.

And from 2010, TV debates became part of the pre-election media.

And five, general election broadcasts and TV debates enable political parties to speak directly to the electorate about their policies.

So well done for completing that task.

Now, onto our second learning cycle.

How accurately does the media inform voters? So how accurate is print media? Despite other forms of media becoming more popular for political news, thousands of newspapers are still sold every day in the UK.

People also read newspaper articles online, and the number of online subscribers has increased in recent years.

There is no law to say that a newspaper has to be politically impartial.

Therefore, newspapers often have political bias.

They often lean towards one political party or another left wing or right wing we might call it as well.

The factual information included may be and needs to be accurate, but they can report a story from a particular viewpoint using different headlines and quotes.

Popular newspapers in the UK include The Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, Telegraph, The Guardian, The Sun, and The Times.

You may have heard of some of those newspapers.

The Daily Mirror and The Guardian tend to lean towards the Labour Party and other left-leaning causes with varying degrees of support.

The Daily Mail, Telegraph, The Sun, and the Times tend to lean towards a conservative party and other right-leaning causes with varying degrees of support.

During an election, newspapers are often very clear as to which political party they support.

They can urge their readers to vote for one particular political party.

So let's have a check of our understanding about newspapers.

Which of the following are reasons why newspapers may not accurately inform voters? A, there is no law to say that a newspaper has to be balanced.

B, they can show political bias favouring a political party.

C, they can urge their readers to vote for one political party.

D, the factual information is accurate.

So which of the following reasons why newspapers may not accurately inform voters? So A, B, and C are all reasons why newspapers may not accurately inform voters.

D, the factual information is accurate is not a reason.

Well done if you got that right.

How accurate is broadcast media? So television and radio.

TV and radio broadcasters in the UK are subject to stricter regulations than newspapers.

They must maintain fairness, balance, and impartiality in their coverage.

The law expects that all political parties should be given the opportunity to present their views, ensuring that no single party has an unfair advantage.

Broadcasters should include a range of political perspectives in their coverage.

Despite these rules, some people feel that certain programmes may still show bias towards one political party.

How accurate is social media? In 2024, Overcome reported that more than half, 52% of UK adults use social media as a news source.

They found that 16 to 24-year-olds are 30% more likely than adults to consume news on social media through their phones.

Instagram was the most popular being used by 40% of young people, followed by TikTok, which was used by 33% of young people.

Have a think if you've used either of those methods or forms to receive your news.

Social media allows almost anyone to post almost anything they choose.

So it's therefore difficult to know what is accurate and what is not.

Social media algorithms show you more posts based on what you like, comment on, or share.

The more you interact with a certain viewpoint, the more likely you are to see similar posts which strengthen that view.

And when we say on what you like, it could be as simple as you watch particular videos.

You don't necessarily comment or like them, but you could just spend more time on that particular post than another one.

And the algorithm works out, and then starts showing you more posts that might interest you.

You might have experienced that if you think about things that you've been interested in.

And then suddenly, more things appear on your Instagram or on your TikTok that support that view or that hobby.

Social media also allows political parties to tailor their adverts to different groups of people in the hope of increasing their share of the vote.

So if you are seen to like something that could, you might think is completely random and nothing to do with politics, but the algorithms work out that that means that maybe you are more likely to vote for one political party than another, then they will show you political party adverts for that political party.

So the political parties will then spend their money targeting you.

Now, let's talk about artificial intelligence, AI, and deepfakes on social media, 'cause I know that this is something that has caused some concern.

And in the lead-up to 2024 General Election, numerous deepfake videos made using AI appeared on social media platforms, impersonating then Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

These videos which may have reached as many as 400,000 people raise significant concerns about the potential misuse of AI in political campaigns.

So obviously, AI can be a really good thing, but we've also got to be incredibly careful that what we are viewing is accurate, and that this is not a deepfake.

So let's think about the reliability of media sources.

When we are looking at media, it's important to be able to choose a reliable source to help us make informed decisions.

And we now might be concerned that how do we know something's reliable? This is always important, but could be even more so at election times, because what you read or watch could influence how you vote.

When making important choices, we want to make sure that we are basing those decisions on reliable, accurate information.

So how can you check the reliability of media sources? The following can help check reliability.

Verify the source.

Favour reputable news organisations such as the BBC.

Be cautious with unknown sites.

Cross-check your information.

Compare reports across trusted sources.

So if you see something that doesn't seem right, check it against a reliable, more trustworthy news source.

Look for bias.

Identify political or ideological leanings.

Check the author.

Ensure credibility and experience.

Are they an experienced reporter, or is it somebody who's just saying what they think sat behind their computer, who doesn't have that experience or knowledge? Examine the evidence.

Reliable sources provide verifiable facts, and there are fact checking websites that you can look at.

Beware of sensationalism.

Overly shocking headlines may mislead.

It's always good to read the story as well, and compare it the same story in a different news source to see whether what has been said is accurate.

And as I already mentioned, use fact-checking sites to ensure information is accurate.

So let's check our understanding.

Which of the following statements are true about the use of social media to inform voters? A, 16 to 24-year-olds are more likely to consume news on social media than adults.

B, TikTok is the most popular followed by Instagram.

C, social media allows almost anyone to post almost anything they choose.

And D, algorithms do not impact the content you see on social media.

So which of those statements are true about the use of social media to inform voters? Okay, so.

A is true about the use of social media to inform voters.

B is false.

Actually, Instagram was more popular than TikTok.

C is true, social media does allow almost anyone to post almost anything they choose.

And D is false, algorithms do impact the content you see on social media.

So well done if you've got those right.

So let's go onto our practise task.

How accurately does the media inform voters? So use all that information that you've just learned about how the media works, about political bias, etc.

And what I would like you to do is place newspapers, TV/radio, and social media.

So separate types of media onto the spectrum, and justify the position you have chosen.

Pause the video whilst you complete that task.

Okay, so well done for completing that task.

So I asked you to think about how accurately does the media inform voters and to place the TV and radio, newspapers, and social media onto the spectrum from completely accurate to completely inaccurate and to justify them.

So you may have placed the media in the following places and justified them like this.

TV and radio more towards the completely accurate end, because the law says it has to be fair and balanced.

Newspapers somewhere in the middle.

Newspapers, they tend to have political bias and favour a particular political party, and then social media towards a completely inaccurate end because anyone can post anything they like, and some of the content could be AI generated.

That just means that we have to be really careful about using social media to learn about political parties, elections, and to get use it as a new source.

Well done for completing that task.

I think that made you think really hard.

Okay, third learning cycle for today's session.

How influential is the media on election outcomes? So how might the media influence election outcomes? Thinking about what we've been learning about so far, have a conversation with your learning partner about how might the media influence election outcomes.

So the media can influence election outcomes in various ways, including shaping public perception, media coverage, whether positive or negative, can shape how voters perceive candidates and political parties.

Can you think of any example of this happening? So any examples that you can think of where this has happened? So one time that this could have happened and might have impacted on the election outcome was there was quite a famous pre-election photograph of Ed Miliband eating a bacon sandwich.

And the way that the media perceived it was that he just wasn't very leadership like, and couldn't eat it properly, and therefore, would he make a good prime minister.

So that's a good example of how the media then shaped the election outcome because he started to lose some credibility.

Agenda setting, the media plays a role in determining which issues are discussed and debated during election campaign.

This can potentially shift support toward away from political party.

So if they decide that, for example, maybe the economy or immigration is really important talking point, then that can influence where support goes in terms of towards or away from political party.

Campaign advertising.

So political parties rely heavily on media to broadcast their messages, including TV adverts and social media campaigns.

These can sway undecided voters or reinforce the views of supporters.

The influence of social media.

So social media is playing a growing role in influencing election outcomes.

As we've already learned, algorithms have an impact, and these can amplify certain messages, only showing content that reinforces a user's view, and so therefore, makes that user's view more likely to stick.

Media bias and influence.

Bias in media coverage, whether real or perceived, can affect how voters view different parties or candidates.

It can influence their trust in political institutions and their voting choices.

Scandals and controversies.

The media can influence election outcomes by focusing on scandals or controversies damaging a candidate's image and chances of winning.

Can you think of any examples of this where this has happened? So one scandal that might have affected the outcome of an election was the 2010 General Election.

So in 2009, we had the expenses scandal where it was uncovered that conservative MPs and other MPs have been spending money on things that they didn't really need, and then claiming it as expenses.

So the prime example was one MP claiming expenses for building a duck house on his pond in his garden, and he charged that as an expense.

Meaning, basically that the taxpayer paid for that duck house.

So that's a good example.

So which of the following are ways the media can influence election outcomes? Voters already know who they will vote for.

Bias in media coverage, shaping public perception, focusing on scandals or controversies.

The media doesn't sway voters and campaign advertising.

So which of those are ways the media can influence election outcomes? So focusing on scandals or controversies, shaping public perception, bias in media coverage, and campaign advertising are always the media can influence election outcomes.

Well done if you got those right.

So counter arguments to the idea that the media has a significant influence on elections.

So there is some arguments that actually the media doesn't really have an impact on election outcomes.

Voters have their own views.

Voters often have pre-existing beliefs and opinions which are not easily swayed by media coverage.

They can ignore it.

Critical media consumption.

Many voters actively choose to follow news outlets or channels that match their personal preferences.

So for example, if you are a labour supporter, you might be more likely to read The Guardian online or in paper form and more left-leaning news outlets than right wing ones anyway.

So that just reinforces your personal preference.

This makes it half a media bias or sensationalism to change voters' opinions.

Other influential factors might be that election outcomes are influenced by many factors beyond the media, such as manifesto promises, the economy, party leadership, and individual candidates' appeal.

So not just not the media.

Other factors influence voting outcomes.

There has been a decline of trust in the media.

Trust in traditional media sources has declined.

Only 51% of people say that they trust the news most of the time, while trust in social media is rated even more poorly.

Misinformation and fact-checking.

The rise of fact-checking organisations and the increasing awareness of fake news mean that voters are becoming more critical of information sources.

This may help mitigate the influence of bias or misleading media coverage.

So people are informed that there is this fake news, and so people are more likely to check.

And social media's fragmentation.

The influence of any one media outlet is diluted.

The diverse range of opinions on social media platforms means that no single message dominates the conversation, limiting the potential for media to shape the overall election outcome.

So let's check our understanding here.

So the statements below are all incorrect.

Identify the one mistake in each statement and correct it.

One, it is easy for media bias or sensationalism to change voters' opinions.

Two, only 26% of people say that they trust the news most of the time, whilst trust in social media is rated even more poorly.

And three, the similar range of opinions on social media platforms means that no single message dominates.

So find the mistake and correct it.

Okay, so number one, the mistake.

It is hard for media bias or sensationalism to change voters' opinions.

Not easy.

Number two, only 51% of people say they trust the news most of the time, whilst trust in social media is rated even more poorly.

So not 26%.

And three, the diverse range of opinions on social media platforms means that no single message dominates.

So it was inaccurate to say the similar range of opinions.

So well done if you correctly identified the mistakes and corrected them.

Now, onto our practise task for the third learning cycle.

Lucas is concerned about the accuracy and influence of media during elections.

Write a response to him with examples to help alleviate his worries.

So Lucas is saying, "I'm really worried about the influence of the media on election outcomes.

Newspapers are biassed, supporting a particular political party and persuading me to vote for them, and you cannot trust anything you see on social media.

How can I get accurate information or really know the truth about the political parties and candidates?" So pause the video whilst you write a response to Lucas with examples to help alleviate his worries.

So well done for completing that task.

I asked you to write a response to Lucas who is concerned about the accuracy and influence of media during elections, and I asked you to help alleviate his worries.

So you may have said, "To make a more informed decision despite media bias, it is important to check out different news sources, especially ones that have different opinions.

Many voters already have their own views that are not easily changed by the media, but looking at different viewpoints can help challenge what you already believe.

Trust in traditional news is low, with only 51% of people trusting it, and social media is even worse.

Because of this, it is really important to double check what politicians and the media say by looking at trustworthy sources like fact-checking websites or official candidate sites, where you can find their actual policies." "Social media with all its different opinions, means no single media outlet has total control over what people think.

Keep in mind the selection outcomes are shaped by many factors, such as the economy, manifesto promises, and candidates' personal appeal, not just media coverage.

Engaging with people who hold different political views and critically assessing information helps ensure you are making an informed choice.

It might take some extra effort, but it is the best way to make a smart decision." So well done for completing that task.

The last task of today's lesson and of our third learning cycle.

So in summary in today's lesson, "What happens to the media during elections?" The media plays a key role in elections by informing the public and helping political parties share their ideas.

There are rules to ensure fairness, including spending limits for advertising.

Media activities like party broadcasts and TV debates allow voters to hear from candidates.

Different media types are regulated differently, for example, newspapers may show bias, while TV and radio are more neutral.

Social media, though less reliable, can amplify certain views and spread misinformation.

The media influences elections by shaping public perception, setting agendas, and spreading messages.

However, voters' preexisting opinions, fact-checking, and trust issues can limit its impact.

So I hope that you have enjoyed today's lesson.

I hope it really got you thinking critically about media and where you get your news sources from, and the ways that we can mitigate against misinformation and disinformation.

And hopefully, help you become more informed voters using the media and the knowledge that you've learned today.

Well done for completing today's lesson.