The 2011 Electoral System Referendum in the UK: The Quality of Debate in the Print Media

37 Pages Posted: 30 Aug 2011

See all articles by Alan Renwick

Alan Renwick

University of Reading

Michael Lamb

University of Reading

Date Written: August 20, 2011

Abstract

The UK held its second nationwide referendum, on reform of the electoral system, in May 2011. This paper analyses the quality of debate that preceded the referendum in the print media. It begins by considering how debate quality in the context of a referendum campaign may best be conceptualized. Then, using content analysis of media coverage and drawing where possible on international comparisons, it investigates three aspects of that debate: its quantity; the balance between Yes and No arguments, and the quality of reasoning. It finds that the quantity of debate was comparable to other recent electoral reform referendums. The coverage was balanced overall but not, on the whole, within individual newspapers. The different indicators of the quality of reasoning present a mixed picture. The paper concludes by considering how the analysis could be developed further, notably through more detailed comparison with other cases.

Keywords: electoral reform, referendum, AV, UK, media, discourse quality

Suggested Citation

Renwick, Alan and Lamb, Michael, The 2011 Electoral System Referendum in the UK: The Quality of Debate in the Print Media (August 20, 2011). APSA 2011 Annual Meeting Paper, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1913356 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1913356

Alan Renwick (Contact Author)

University of Reading ( email )

Whiteknights
Reading, Berkshire RG6 6AH
United Kingdom

Michael Lamb

University of Reading ( email )

Whiteknights
Reading, Berkshire RG6 6AH
United Kingdom

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