Media and voting behaviour- paper 1 Flashcards
How does social class impact voting behaviour
-higher classes= Tory
-working class= labour
-1964, 64/ of DE voted labour
2019, 39/
-some lower classes aspire to be Tories
different social classes
AB= highest
DE= Lowest
Does social class still matter in UK elections?
YES:
-issues of tax and welfare link to class
-regional voting links to class
-identity
NO:
x major issues such as Brexit cross lines
x size and importance of working class has decreased
x modern parties try to appeal to more classes
How does age impact voting behaviour?
- younger voters= more left wing
- as people age they acquire more assets and start voting in self interest
-2016- Corbyn voters were majority young
-turnout for young people is low
-parties focus on the grey vote
How does ethnicity impact voting behaviour?
-BAME voters= left wing
-2019, 20/ BAME voted Tory
64/ BAME voted Lab
Broadcasting
-LBC, BBC
-must remain neutral by law
-BBC accused of being left leaning
-PMQs
-only 1/ of people listen to radio exclusivley
Social Media
-unregulated
-useful to small parties
opinion polls pros and cons
PROS:
-can guide politicians
-forecast electoral outcomes, assisting campaign strategies
x influence peoples votes
x inaccurate
the media IS influential
- winning party typically has the support of most newspapers
- shapes public perception
- leaders spend time cultivating media image
The media ISNT influential
x reflects rather than leads
x 2017, many papers opposed Corbyn but he performed well
x other factors like policies are more influential
Role of the Media in Elections example
The Sun newspaper:
Claimed to have “won it for the Tories” in 1992, when it backed John Major and Labour unexpectedly lost.
It’s The Sun Wot Won It
social media example
2017 General Election:
- Labour had a strong online presence, especially with younger voters.
- Labour gained 30 seats
age in voting example
2019:
67% of over-70s voted Conservative
