1. The influence of the Murdoch press

2. Lesson Objectives I will have the opportunity to observe and record notes about the influence of the Murdoch press I will have the opportunity to analyse data relating to newspapers influence over their readership

3. News International – Don’t copy News International owned the News of the World and still owns the Sun, the Times and the Sunday Times. Rupert Murdoch owns News Corporation, which in turn owns News International. He would like to think that he has the power through his newspapers to help strengthen political leaders as well as destroy them.

4. How Murdoch Ran Britain Watch the video which discusses the influence that Rupert Murdoch had over UK politicians. You should take notes while you watch the video. You should take a note of anything that illustrates the influence Rupert Murdoch had over our politicians.

5. What years do you think the Sun supported Labour and what years do you think they supported the Conservatives? Give reasons/evidence for your answer

6. Con – 1992 + 2010 Lab – 97-05 Although the change in support is not always great, it only takes a few swing voters in some marginal seats to alter the outcome of an election

7. 1995 – 2005 (Labour Victories) Blair flies to Australia to meet with Murdoch. Alistair Campbell, his Spin Doctor claims it was to win the support of News International Character assassination of John Major by News International leads to him being ousted as Prime Minister. Huge support of Tony Blair and New Labour by News International in run up to election. Labour win by a historic margin.

8. 2005 -2010 (Conservative Victory) Labour continues to gain the support of News International up until 2009. Andy Coulson is appointed as David Cameron’s Spin Doctor, (a former editor of the News of the World) in 2007 In 2009 NI switches its support to Cameron.’ The Sun runs with the headline ‘Labours Lost It’

9. How much influence do newspapers really have? Has NI simply backed the winner of elections rather than create the winner? It is claimed newspapers print what their readers want to read about. Thus it is the readership who influences what the newspapers think, not the other way about In Scotland in 2007, most newspapers, including the Sun, went against the SNP, who still came out victorious. In 2010, 57% of Sun readers voted for a party other than the Conservatives (the party the Sun backed) The Sun is the only newspaper to have backed the winning party in each election since 1979, meaning the other 7 main titles have backed losers during hat time

10. Conclusion It is clear that politicians believe Newspapers, particularly the Murdoch press, have an influence However declining readership as well as questions over whether or not they back rather than create winners mean that perhaps they are not as influential as they would like to think

11. Questions on course to date 1) What is a marginal seat? 2) What is a safe seat? 3) What is a partisan voter? 4) What is a swing voter? 5) Why is the image of the leader becoming more important with each passing election? 6) Give two examples of elections where you believe the images of the two main party leaders played an important part in the outcome of the election 7) News International own which influential newspapers? 8) What evidence is there that newspapers influence their readers votes? 9) What evidence is there that they do not? 10) Overall, do you believe newspapers create winners or simply back them?