Yesterday I mentioned that a Press Gazette poll found that BBC News was not only the most reliable source for political news in the opinion of the general public, but utterly dominant. It won with 50%, a whopping 44% ahead of second place (Sky News). So, questions to be asked:
Is BBC News really that powerful?
The truth is, simply, yes. The BBC have a lot of resources from up and down the country and work furiously across both TV, online and radio.
Is TV news better than print?
Not necessarily. More people will watch TV news than pick up a newspaper but that doesn’t mean it is any better. I only really watch one TV news bulletin and that is Channel 4 News, which incidentally came 8th in this poll. BBC News and ITV News aren’t bad but Channel 4 News is just so superior. You also have the issue of the 24 news channels like BBC News 24 and Sky News that, for the most part, are just trying to find things that will up airtime.
Is radio useless when it comes to political insight?
Definitely not, although the poll does suggest that the BBC are the clear leaders in the medium. By its nature, the format of radio generally allows for more direct debate than other mediums. Radio 4 and 5 Live both have equally good news programs that have good anchors. The Today Programme is perhaps one of the most important and most valued news providers in the country and its interviews – although they’re more sparring matches these days – are very insightful.
Why is The Guardian so low down given its print and online presence?
It beats me. I am actually quite surprised it is so low down but The Guardian have never been ones to promote themselves vastly. I find their audience is actually achieved through word-of-mouth.
Is it reassuring that ‘I don’t trust the news’ got 5%?
Yes and no. 5% is a pretty low number in the grand scheme of things and it confirms that most people need news and have a good trust relationship with the media, no matter how many dodgy stories get published/aired (and there are lots). Perhaps the concerning thing is that it came 4th in the poll, behind the BBC, Sky News and ITV national news.
What other questions do you reckon this poll asks?
