Stephen Cushion
@stephencushion.bsky.social
Professor of journalism & political communication at Cardiff University & night time ๐ for my kids
Communication & Media Studies
60%
Political science
20%
How the BBC & ITV give disproportionate coverage to Farage & Reform: hard evidence from a serious study. BBC & ITV now give Reform more coverage than the Conservatives, more than the Lib Dems & nine times the Greens. Superb research from Stephen Cushion.
www.enhancingimpartiality.com/blog/broadca...
www.enhancingimpartiality.com/blog/broadca...
Rise of Reform's coverage in TV coverage through 2025 well illustrated in our new @cujournmedcul.bsky.social study ๐
www.theguardian.com
Particularly since a majority of the public think net migration has gone significantly up not down - especially GB News viewers and Reform voters: www.theguardian.com/media/2025/o...
GB News viewers more likely to wrongly believe net migration to UK rising, study finds
Research also finds majority of people are against letting politicians front current affairs programmes
www.theguardian.com
Great piece Sam - itโs not only that public opinion is lagging but our recently commissioned October You Gov poll showed vast majority thought net migration was increasing, especially among Reform voters: www.theguardian.com/media/2025/o...
Reposted by Stephen Cushion
David Leask
@leaskyd.bsky.social
ยท 10d
Little airtime for Scottish politics on UK news TV, study finds
Reform got the most coverage in BBC and ITVโs evening bulletins, while the SNP featured in only 38 items across nine months, researchers said
www.thetimes.com
I must admit I have absolutely no understanding of TV news but I can see why devolution and the end of two-party politics pose big challenges for flagship network bulletins. Are BBC/ITN editors getting the balance right?
www.thetimes.com/article/0e0f...
www.thetimes.com/article/0e0f...
www.enhancingimpartiality.com
Full study with @perkinskeighley.bsky.social @maxwellmodell.bsky.social and @mattwalshjourno.bsky.social can be found here: www.enhancingimpartiality.com/blog/broadca...
In September, Reform overtook the Tories as the most referenced oppositional party on the BBC and ITV News at Ten programmes
Our new Cardiff University study picked up in the @thelondoneconomic.bsky.social ๐
Are broadcasters reflecting multi-party politics in the UK? An analysis of BBC News at Ten and ITV News at Ten in 2025 โ Researching the impartiality of political news
Over the last year, support for the main two political parties โ Labour and Conservative โ has collapsed and a new era of multi party politics has begun. Reform UK has now taken a sustained and comman...
www.enhancingimpartiality.com
Full study with @perkinskeighley.bsky.social @maxwellmodell.bsky.social and @mattwalshjourno.bsky.social can be found here: www.enhancingimpartiality.com/blog/broadca...
Tomorrow's front page ๐ฐ
Study reveals how BBC and ITV sideline the SNP
Study reveals how BBC and ITV sideline the SNP
Our new Cardiff University study featured today in @scotnational.bsky.social ๐
Reposted by Alison Phipps, Stephen Cushion
Tomorrow's front page ๐ฐ
Study reveals how BBC and ITV sideline the SNP
Study reveals how BBC and ITV sideline the SNP
Reposted by Stephen Cushion
In September, Reform overtook the Tories as the most referenced oppositional party on the BBC and ITV News at Ten programmes
Reposted by Stephen Cushion
Exclusive: Reform overtakes the Conservatives in media mentions
New research from Cardiff University finds Reform is now treated as the opposition party on mainstream news shows
www.newstatesman.com
In our latest blog, we (@stephencushion.bsky.social, @mattwalshjourno.bsky.social, @maxwellmodell.bsky.social & myself) analyse how BBC News at Ten & ITV News at Ten cover opposition parties & their leaders.
๐ tinyurl.com/5ypk7wv4
#impartialityproject #politicaljournalism #mediastandards
๐ tinyurl.com/5ypk7wv4
#impartialityproject #politicaljournalism #mediastandards
Reposted by Stephen Cushion
How the BBC & ITV give disproportionate coverage to Farage & Reform: hard evidence from a serious study. BBC & ITV now give Reform more coverage than the Conservatives, more than the Lib Dems & nine times the Greens. Superb research from Stephen Cushion.
www.enhancingimpartiality.com/blog/broadca...
www.enhancingimpartiality.com/blog/broadca...
We found Reform UK overtook the Con Party as the most referenced opposition party on both the BBC News at Ten and ITV News at Ten in September 2025. The coverage was largely driven by stories about immigration and asylum along with the partyโs conference: public.flourish.studio/visualisatio...
Opposition party references on BBC News at Ten and ITV News at Ten
A Flourish data visualization by Maxwll Modell
public.flourish.studio
Zia Yusuf - the unelected multimillionaire policy chief of Reform - makes his fourth Question Time appearance tonight.
The party has five MPs
The party has five MPs
BBC use wide range of criteria to allocate airtime to parties - our new research suggests theyโre relying more on opinion polls and which party sets the political weather which is why Reform now covered more than Cons in evening bulletins: bsky.app/profile/step...
We found Reform UK overtook the Con Party as the most referenced opposition party on both the BBC News at Ten and ITV News at Ten in September 2025. The coverage was largely driven by stories about immigration and asylum along with the partyโs conference: public.flourish.studio/visualisatio...
Opposition party references on BBC News at Ten and ITV News at Ten
A Flourish data visualization by Maxwll Modell
public.flourish.studio
Greens tied with Reform and within touching distance of Labour. I'm sure the media will be reflective of this in the relative levels of coverage they afford us all...
Ipsos 27 Nov - 3 Dec seat projection (vs last poll / vs 2021 on new boundaries); AMS Ideal seats:
SNP ~ 60 (+1 / -3); 40
Lab ~ 19 (-4 / -2); 23
RUK ~ 17 (nc / +17); 23
Grn ~ 17 (+1 / +7); 21
Con ~ 11 (+4 / -20); 14
LD ~ 5 (-2 / +1); 8
(Projection caveats: ballotbox.scot/projections)
SNP ~ 60 (+1 / -3); 40
Lab ~ 19 (-4 / -2); 23
RUK ~ 17 (nc / +17); 23
Grn ~ 17 (+1 / +7); 21
Con ~ 11 (+4 / -20); 14
LD ~ 5 (-2 / +1); 8
(Projection caveats: ballotbox.scot/projections)
You can see how far flagship tv bulletins covered the greens in this new study: bsky.app/profile/step...
Our new study ๐จ'Are broadcasters reflecting multi-party politics in the UK? An analysis of BBC News at Ten and ITV News at Ten in 2025' written up brilliantly by @rmcunliffe.bsky.social in The @newstatesman1913.bsky.social Thread with headlines: www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
Exclusive: Reform overtakes the Conservatives in media mentions
New research from Cardiff University finds Reform is now treated as the opposition party on mainstream news shows
www.newstatesman.com
Appreciated being invited on the programme to add some evidence to the discussion: bsky.app/profile/step...
Reposted by Stephen Cushion
BBC News - Newswatch, 13/12/2025
Your views on the coverage of events by BBC News.
www.bbc.co.uk
BBC coverage of Nigel Farage and Reform UK under scrutiny on latest Newswatch. From midnight Fri on link/Sat 745am on BBC1 Breakfast www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
www.enhancingimpartiality.com
We suggest broadcasters need to be transparent about why they allocate airtime to parties. Full
@cujournmedcul.bsky.social
AHRC study by @mattwalshjourno.bsky.social @perkinskeighley.bsky.social @maxwellmodell.bsky.social
can be read here: www.enhancingimpartiality.com/blog/broadca...
@cujournmedcul.bsky.social
AHRC study by @mattwalshjourno.bsky.social @perkinskeighley.bsky.social @maxwellmodell.bsky.social
can be read here: www.enhancingimpartiality.com/blog/broadca...
While our study found no breaches of impartiality, we suggest broadcasters may want to execute some caution when reporting parties on the basis of setting the political weather โ otherwise it could encourage parties to adopt extreme positions/policies.
d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net
How far is the publicโs concerns on immigration fueled by prominent media coverage or reflective of peopleโs direct experiences? While this is debatable, You Gov polls found people most recalled stories about immigration/asylum in August/September: d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net/documents/Re...
The most important issues facing the country
Which of the following do you think are the most important issues facing the country at this time? Please tick up to three.
yougov.co.uk
Reformโs TV coverage coincided with when the public has most been concerned with immigration and asylum โ the top rated according to You Gov tracker surveys despite net migration falling over recent years: yougov.co.uk/topics/socie...
Stories in which opposition parties feature as the protagonist
A Flourish data visualization by Maxwll Modell
public.flourish.studio
Reform UK was the main focus in more than twice as many stories as the Conservatives and just under four times more stories than the Liberal Democrats: public.flourish.studio/visualisatio...
References to opposition party leaders
A Flourish data visualization by Maxwll Modell
public.flourish.studio
Reform UKโs Nigel Farage was the most referenced party leader on ITV News at Ten (49), followed by the Conservativeโs Kemi Badenoch (33), and the Liberal Democratsโ Ed Davey (10): public.flourish.studio/visualisatio...
Opposition party references on BBC News at Ten and ITV News at Ten
A Flourish data visualization by Maxwll Modell
public.flourish.studio
We found Reform UK overtook the Con Party as the most referenced opposition party on both the BBC News at Ten and ITV News at Ten in September 2025. The coverage was largely driven by stories about immigration and asylum along with the partyโs conference: public.flourish.studio/visualisatio...
Exclusive: Reform overtakes the Conservatives in media mentions
New research from Cardiff University finds Reform is now treated as the opposition party on mainstream news shows
www.newstatesman.com
Our new study ๐จ'Are broadcasters reflecting multi-party politics in the UK? An analysis of BBC News at Ten and ITV News at Ten in 2025' written up brilliantly by @rmcunliffe.bsky.social in The @newstatesman1913.bsky.social Thread with headlines: www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
Reposted by Stephen Cushion
Exclusive: Reform overtakes the Conservatives in media mentions
New research from Cardiff University finds Reform is now treated as the opposition party on mainstream news shows
www.newstatesman.com
Exclusive: Reform overtook the Tories as the most referenced opposition party on both the BBC and ITV.
โReform UK was the dominant party in more than twice as many stories as the Conservatives and just under four times more stories than the Liberal Democrats."
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
โReform UK was the dominant party in more than twice as many stories as the Conservatives and just under four times more stories than the Liberal Democrats."
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
Public understanding and attitudes to irregular migration in the UK - I-CLAIM
This report summarises findings from the February 2025 I-CLAIM survey of 1,147 UK adults, exploring public knowledge of irregular migration, how people define it, and their attitudes toward irregular ...
i-claim.eu
Today we published a report on public understanding & attitudes to #irregularmigration in the UK.
this is my a one-line summary:
strong opinions, wrong facts.
But there is so much more to it. Ultimately the picture is much more nuanced and complex...
i-claim.eu/project/publ...
this is my a one-line summary:
strong opinions, wrong facts.
But there is so much more to it. Ultimately the picture is much more nuanced and complex...
i-claim.eu/project/publ...
Reposted by Stephen Cushion
Ipsos 27 Nov - 3 Dec seat projection (vs last poll / vs 2021 on new boundaries); AMS Ideal seats:
SNP ~ 60 (+1 / -3); 40
Lab ~ 19 (-4 / -2); 23
RUK ~ 17 (nc / +17); 23
Grn ~ 17 (+1 / +7); 21
Con ~ 11 (+4 / -20); 14
LD ~ 5 (-2 / +1); 8
(Projection caveats: ballotbox.scot/projections)
SNP ~ 60 (+1 / -3); 40
Lab ~ 19 (-4 / -2); 23
RUK ~ 17 (nc / +17); 23
Grn ~ 17 (+1 / +7); 21
Con ~ 11 (+4 / -20); 14
LD ~ 5 (-2 / +1); 8
(Projection caveats: ballotbox.scot/projections)
Greens tied with Reform and within touching distance of Labour. I'm sure the media will be reflective of this in the relative levels of coverage they afford us all...