Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Trust finds coverage of the devolved nations significantly improved

Date: 29.07.2010     Last updated: 23.09.2014 at 09.48
Category: Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ News Channel
Significant improvements have been made to the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's network news and current affairs coverage of how the UK is governed in its four nations, the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Trust concludes today in a new report which includes fresh independent research.

This follows an earlier Trust report in 2008 which identified areas where action was needed. The Trust review published today found that real progress has been made in the areas that the Trust asked the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Executive to address, relating to the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's reporting on the devolved nations. There are still areas where further progress can be made, and the Trust will look to the Executive to ensure that these areas continue to improve.

The key improvements are:

  • The proportion of news items referring to the devolved nations has almost doubled on the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ overall
  • The number of explicit or implicit references made to the devolved nations increased dramatically (from 71 to 480)
  • There has been a significant increase in television reporting from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (with a more modest increase on radio); and
  • The number of news items making a comparison between the policies of devolved nations has doubled on the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ.

The review also identified areas where further progress is needed:

  • Some Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ news items still do not make it clear which part of the UK they are referring to, and hence are reported as if they apply to the whole of the UK, when in fact stories apply to England;
  • There are some areas where there is a continued bias in favour of stories about England. For example, of 112 Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ items about health and education, 104 related to England and eight to the other three nations. However all news stories about the arts and policing related only to England.

Richard Tait, Chair of the Trust's Editorial Standards Committee, said:

"The Trust is clear that the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ should serve all audiences, and licence fee payers themselves tell us they want to know more about what's going on in the nations and regions of the UK.

"As a result of the recommendations we made in 2008, the Trust is pleased that audiences are now seeing more stories about the devolved nations on the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ β€“ and stories that more accurately reflect the key issues in these areas.

"We will look to the Director-General and his team to build on the progress that's been made, and continue to improve in the areas where news is still falling short."

Since the original review two years ago, the Trust's pressure for improved reporting of devolution has also led to new training for programme-makers. The Trust has asked the Executive to ensure that training for existing news staff and new joiners continues, and that programme editors regularly spend time in newsrooms in the nations.

The Trust has also asked for an update every six months on progress on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ network news reporting of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. This will be given to the Trust's Editorial Standards Committee.

Notes to Editors

1.The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Trust is today publishing the following documents:

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ network news coverage of the four UK nations: the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Trust's conclusions on the follow-up review
  • 'Four Nations Impartiality Review Follow-up: An analysis of reporting devolution', by the Cardiff School of Journalism
  • The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Executive's response to the report

2.The report published by the Trust in 2008 can be found here.

3.The research was carried out by the Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies, Cardiff University.