The media and the 2003 Welsh Assembly election

Abstract

This article explores the media coverage of the 2003 Welsh Assembly Elections, based on analysis conducted by the Wales Media Forum for the Electoral Commission. It points out that while television was the key source of election news, large numbers of people appeared to access little or no campaign news. This is traced to the structural weakness of the media in Wales, but also because the media treated the election as a ‘second‐order’ election which was given little prominence (although total coverage was quite extensive). The key theme of coverage was the issue of ‘voter apathy’, and this article offers several criticisms of this focus. It ends by outlining the need for political reporting that will reach beyond the ‘political junkies’ to engage with the largely disengaged ‘big brother’ generation.