I have to ask if the so called (small ) Parties are given fair and accurate coverage in the local media?
If you was an outsider maybe you could beforgiven for thinking the smaller parties dont exist,we dont hear from respect. the BNP, socialistl abour and all the rest.
Or if we do then the writing is that small you would hardly notice if you did not look closely.
Maybe democracy is what suits the big parties,and the smaller ones can go to hell,just a thought?

I would say that it's about right, it's all about proportion. A paper like the Star is not going to give headlines or lots of column inches over to parties such as SWP or BNP etc, for the simple reason that the vast majority of people are not interested. There are probably only a few hundred people in Sheffield who ARE interested in such parties and their political ramblings and so it would be rather unfair to give them an unproportional amount of coverage. A local paper, or even a national one is going to fill it's pages with stuff that the vast majority wan't to read, otherwise readers would become bored or irritated by the content, and sales would soon begin to plummet.

Originally posted by Magneteer
I would say that it's about right, it's all about proportion. A paper like the Star is not going to give headlines or lots of column inches over to parties such as SWP or BNP etc, for the simple reason that the vast majority of people are not interested. There are probably only a few hundred people in Sheffield who ARE interested in such parties and their political ramblings and so it would be rather unfair to give them an unproportional amount of coverage. A local paper, or even a national one is going to fill it's pages with stuff that the vast majority wan't to read, otherwise readers would become bored or irritated by the content, and sales would soon begin to plummet.

But how are they going to get to know the policies of all the parties or even that they exist ,if they are not given fair and unbiased press coverage.

I am thinking here of the Suns latest publicity stunt ie the red smoke. It worries me greatly that Rupert Murdoch can help sway/decide the outcome of OUR general election. Or perhaps what worries me more is that the Sun readers mentality will fall for it, hook, line and sinker.

:( :(

Originally posted by royjames
If you was an outsider maybe you could beforgiven for thinking the smaller parties dont exist,we dont hear from respect. the BNP, socialistl abour and all the rest.


We've had litrature from the Respect party - "interesting".

Not had anything from any of the other parties though (not that I'd read the lies) but I wish we would, makes nice bedding when shredded;).

I haven't had any doorstep canvassers yet. Its a shame cos I'd like to talk to people from all the parties. Roy, I assume that even though the BNP are standing in the central area that mark payne won't be coming round broomhall? hehe...

Kathy this is not about the BNP but the general lack of information as regards the smaller parties.
You can read todays star and you will see some anti BNP stuff,but nothing positive at all about the fringe parties.
I do accept the point that the majority of readers are not going to vote for the small parties but in a so called democracy should the voices of the small parties not be heard more?

I'ts more a case of the smaller parties making themselves heard. It's unreasonable to expect the press to give them large chunks of space. If these small parties are any good and stand for something worthwhile, then they will naturally gain an ever increasing following, and in time will command a larger amount of press coverage. Otherwise you would get all sorts of cranks demanding full page spreads in the press to cover their barmy ideas.

Well, Roy,

Your lot had a PP broadcast on Radio 2 this evening.

It's not up to the print media to be fair at all, they can print what they like, even if its as daft as this morning's Sun. Surely its up to the smaller parties to come up with sensible ideas that people will want to print, and talk about?

I think the smaller parties get a good share of coverage. UKIP, Veritas and Respect have been in the news loads, and in tonight's Star they have a piece on racists in the city and opposition to them and they use a quote from a Green candidate.

Originally posted by Disco_Cat
I think the smaller parties get a good share of coverage. UKIP, Veritas and Respect have been in the news loads, and in tonight's Star they have a piece on racists in the city and opposition to them and they use a quote from a Green candidate.


Sorry but I dont recall seeing much from the other parties,except the usual rant against the BNP from the Star newspaper.
The small parties do not get enough coverage to give the voters the chance to have a good look at their manifestos,which if this were a real democracy would be the case.
People cant be expected to vote for a party if they dont know what they stand for?

I don’t think you are the most objective person on this subject being that you represent a fringe group of extremists.

The independent the other day classed the greens alongside the main parties and the Observer had a massive amount of coverage for RESPECT, true they did say Galloway was a bigger Nazi then Mosley however.

I have also seen TV coverage of UKIP and Verities releasing their manifesto, plus UKIP leaders interviewed on numerous occasions, not just politics shows but lunch time news etc

I think your real problem Roy is not with minority parties coverage but with the BNP coverage, maybe if they bothered to published a manifesto, bothered to give details of their candidates on their website, then they would get more attention. Or maybe if they offered more then just racism and violence people would feel more comfortable reporting on them

Originally posted by Disco_Cat
I don’t think you are the most objective person on this subject being that you represent a fringe group of extremists.

The independent the other day classed the greens alongside the main parties and the Observer had a massive amount of coverage for RESPECT, true they did say Galloway was a bigger Nazi then Mosley however.

I have also seen TV coverage of UKIP and Verities releasing their manifesto, plus UKIP leaders interviewed on numerous occasions, not just politics shows but lunch time news etc

I think your real problem Roy is not with minority parties coverage but with the BNP coverage, maybe if they bothered to published a manifesto, bothered to give details of their candidates on their website, then they would get more attention. Or maybe if they offered more then just racism and violence people would feel more comfortable reporting on them




How silly of me to think you could look at this from a reasoned perspective.

It really is up to the parties (large or smal) to make their case with the electorate - by getting out on the doorstep, canvassing, delivering leaflets, etc.

Why should the media do the job for them? The media only report the campaign, they do not promote the policies of individual political parties.

To report all the fringe parties would just make the local newspaper tedious and boring.

Seriously I’ve seen a manifesto launch for every single party that has launched a manifesto including all the Irish parties, UKIP, Veitarse the lot.

BNP can’t produce a manifesto so they get no media launch. That seems fair to me.

If you’re angry your party hasn’t got enough attention, ask some questions about who is running your campaign.

Originally posted by Disco_Cat
Seriously I’ve seen a manifesto launch for every single party that has launched a manifesto including all the Irish parties, UKIP, Veitarse the lot.

BNP can’t produce a manifesto so they get no media launch. That seems fair to me.

If you’re angry your party hasn’t got enough attention, ask some questions about who is running your campaign.

Quite. It's not like the media have to go and ferret out political manifestos is it?

I've had leaflets from the Greens, Respect, Labour and Lib Dems. BNP and tories obviously not interested in our vote. Which is handy...

I am now armed with my first ever UK general election polling card. So if you're reading this, Mr Caborne, ner ner ner.

Parties that want column inches in newspapers write their own editorials, letters, etc. Of course there are some prerequisites, like being able to write good enough copy for inclusion.

I mean, what do you want, us to run the BNP campaign for them? Sure, we'd do a much better job, but I guess the BNP are going to have to work out their publicity for themselves. So we shouldn't hold our collective breath....

I along with Disco Cat know the manifesto of the BNP will be launched very shortly and I can assure everyone that they will all get a laeaflett from the party.
I have been told my posts are being watched very closely so I dont want this to become just another BNP thread,but lets stay focussed on the media attention to the small parties.
Or should that be the lack of such attention,does the presemt system we have not remind some of the old closed shop of the seventies in that you had to be in a certain union or you were excluded from the process,well this is what it seems like to me.
Either you are in one of the big 3 or you dont count.

I suppose a lot of it is down to money.The smaller political parties probably have less to spend in their campaign budgets so can't compete with the likes of Labour and the Torys in promoting themselves come election time.

The Greens have a shoe string budget but they have been able to produce a series of detailed manifestos, and when they launched the main one they received significant media coverage.

The BNP threatened to release a manifesto this week, which would allegedly be more detailed then any other parties, still no sign of it however.

Try looking objectively at the two parties websites, The Greens is pact full of information about not only their policies but their candidates, target seats etc. The BNP website, has a plea for money, no manifesto or policy announcements and the only information they give on their top candidate Griffin is his name and where he is standing, the same information (or lack of it) they give for every candidate. How is that meant to impress voters? It’s an abysmal attempt at running an election campaign. The media aren’t ignoring the BNP, after all the Star announced on Tuesday they were fielding six candidates, but as far as I can see their is no BNP campaign for them to report on.



Sorry i stand corrected the BNP have now provided a link to their 4 year old, “what we stand for document” a series of paragraphs blaming all the worlds ills on asylum seekers. Is this what you meant by manifesto Roy?

Originally posted by sccsux
We've had litrature from the Respect party - "interesting".

Not had anything from any of the other parties though (not that I'd read the lies) but I wish we would, makes nice bedding when shredded;).

Lucky you, i've just had my second weekly Labour Party newsletter! You don't hear from them for years and then they start dishing out glossy colour brochures on a weekly basis!

Mind you I think my constituency is marginal, so that could explain it.

Well i am surprised the abuse removed carcrash has not tried to wreck this thread but i suppose there is still time i must aggree though the bnp manifesto is rather out of date can you not have a word with the guy's in charge roy to get it updated and as for the sheffield star they are well known for being anti bnp keep up the good work roy :thumbsup

I would say that the small parties have had disproportionately large amounts of exposure on Sheffield forum.

One party in particular, thanks to the tireless efforts of a member, has remained in constant discussion.

Who will redress this balance?

Originally posted by craigmason
the bnp manifesto is rather out of date

oh dear when self confessed racists like Craig here with his love of the Nazi stormfront and Klu Klux Klan find the BNP manifesto outdated and lacking in detail, the BNP really are in trouble.
What hope of winning over more sophisticated voters who don’t base their votes purely on hatred for everyone with a non white skin.

Anyone Craig since you’ve realised black people aren’t all as stupid as you thought have you not been tempted to redress your opinions?

Disco this is not about the BNP.

Closing this thread. Why? Read posts above.

If you can't have a debate on SF without making it personal/abusive then try another site.