*
Shaun Ley of The World At One and The World This Weekend continues to confound my interruption coefficients. Despite ample anecdotal evidence of left-wing bias (for which please click here: http://beebbiascraig.blogspot.com/search/label/Shaun%20Ley) his figures again run completely counter to my expectations:
23/10 Alistair Darling Labour 1.5
11/10 Gerry Kelly Sinn Fein 1.2
08/10 Lord Young Labour 1.2
12/10 Liam Byrne Labour 0.9
09/10 Ed Miliband Labour 0.9
12/10 Albert Wharrad Labour 0.4
11/10 Stuart Bell Labour 0.4
02/10 Mark Francois Conservative 0.4
08/10 Liam Fox Conservative 0.4
11/10 Baroness Ludford Lib Dem 0.4
11/10 Jeffrey Donaldson DUP 0.3
04/10 William Hague Conservative 0.2
30/10 Ed Miliband Labour 0
02/10 Mark Todd Labour 0
04/10 Leon Brittan Conservative 0
18/10 David Curry Conservative 0
11/10 Charles Tannock Conservative 0
His averages for October work out (remarkably) as:
*
Sinn Fein - 1.2
Labour - 0.7
Lib Dems - 0.4
Conservatives - 0.2
Having so far studied 69 interviews by Shaun Ley, here are his super-average I.C. for the last 5 months:
*
Sinn Fein (1) - 1.2
UKIP (1)- 0.5
Conservatives (16) -0.41
Labour (41) - 0.37
DUP (1) -0.3
Lib Dems (8)- 0.08
UUP- (1) 0
*
If these figures confirm anything, it's that Shaun is very soft on the Liberal Democrats - and that he interview a lot of Labour politicians!
Showing posts with label DUP. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DUP. Show all posts
Monday, 2 November 2009
Saturday, 31 October 2009
THE MOST SUPER OF ALL THE SUPER-AVERAGES
*
So far, since beginning my survey in June this year, I've reviewed 1129 BBC interviews with UK politicians. This allows me to extend the super-average principle to all these interviews & get a single measure of bias for each political party for the last 5 months. (See my previous posts for all the thinking behind this!).
*
The results are revealing - and not a little damning. Remember that the more interviews I've surveyed for each political party the firmer the evidence (so the figures for Labour, the Tories and the Liberal Democrats are very firm, and those for UKIP, the Greens and, above all, the SNP pretty compelling!). I think Lord Pearson will be very interested in which party is the most-interrupted of all!!:
*
UKIP (12 interviews) - 0.90
Plaid Cymru (6 interviews) - 0.88
Conservatives (312 interviews) - 0.84
English Democrats (1 interview) - 0.8
SNP (39 interviews) - 0.76
Sinn Fein (2 interviews) - 0.75
BNP (4 interviews) - 0.65
Labour (557 interviews) - 0.57
Liberal Democrats (167 interviews) - 0.41
DUP (3 interviews) - 0.27
Greens (9 interviews) - 0.24
UUP (1 interview) - 0
Alliance (1 interview) - 0
SDLP (1 interview) - 0
*
I think I'm on pretty safe ground in suspecting that many right-of-centre readers (and not a few nationalists, of every stripe) will have known already in their guts that these might be the sort of results that a scientific study of BBC interviews would produce. This provides objective proof for such gut feelings. I intend to carry on doing just what I've been doing all the way up to the general election - and, maybe, beyond.
*
I will, as usual, be looking at each interviewer in turn over the coming days. Who will be a saint, and who a sinner? Who will be October's King (or Queen) of Bias?
*
So far, since beginning my survey in June this year, I've reviewed 1129 BBC interviews with UK politicians. This allows me to extend the super-average principle to all these interviews & get a single measure of bias for each political party for the last 5 months. (See my previous posts for all the thinking behind this!).
*
The results are revealing - and not a little damning. Remember that the more interviews I've surveyed for each political party the firmer the evidence (so the figures for Labour, the Tories and the Liberal Democrats are very firm, and those for UKIP, the Greens and, above all, the SNP pretty compelling!). I think Lord Pearson will be very interested in which party is the most-interrupted of all!!:
*
UKIP (12 interviews) - 0.90
Plaid Cymru (6 interviews) - 0.88
Conservatives (312 interviews) - 0.84
English Democrats (1 interview) - 0.8
SNP (39 interviews) - 0.76
Sinn Fein (2 interviews) - 0.75
BNP (4 interviews) - 0.65
Labour (557 interviews) - 0.57
Liberal Democrats (167 interviews) - 0.41
DUP (3 interviews) - 0.27
Greens (9 interviews) - 0.24
UUP (1 interview) - 0
Alliance (1 interview) - 0
SDLP (1 interview) - 0
*
I think I'm on pretty safe ground in suspecting that many right-of-centre readers (and not a few nationalists, of every stripe) will have known already in their guts that these might be the sort of results that a scientific study of BBC interviews would produce. This provides objective proof for such gut feelings. I intend to carry on doing just what I've been doing all the way up to the general election - and, maybe, beyond.
*
I will, as usual, be looking at each interviewer in turn over the coming days. Who will be a saint, and who a sinner? Who will be October's King (or Queen) of Bias?
*
OCTOBER'S I.C.s - SUPER-AVERAGE I.C.s
*
My favourite measure of bias across the Beeb is the super-average interruption coefficient - which is calculated very simply by adding up all the individual I.C.s for each party & then dividing them by the number of interviewed granted to each party that month. As with all statistics, the larger the sample, the better the result (with the consequence that the Sinn Fein figure, based on 2 interviews, is probably not typical!) - and more significant any differences (hence the increase of the I.C. to 2 decimal places).
*
Here is how things worked out in October 09:
*
Conservatives (124 interviews) - 0.87
Sinn Fein (2 interviews) - 0.75
SNP (11 interviews) - 0.65
UKIP (4 interviews) - 0.60
Labour (134 interviews) - 0.54
BNP (2 interviews) - 0.50
Greens (2 interviews) - 0.45
Liberal Democrats (32 interviews) - 0.37
Plaid Cymru (2 interviews) - 0.35
DUP (2 interviews) - 0.15
Alliance (1 interview) - 0
*
Now here's some strong statistical evidence that the BBC, as a whole, is significantly more likely to interrupt a Conservative spokesman than a Labour spokesman, not to mention a Lib Dem.
*
My favourite measure of bias across the Beeb is the super-average interruption coefficient - which is calculated very simply by adding up all the individual I.C.s for each party & then dividing them by the number of interviewed granted to each party that month. As with all statistics, the larger the sample, the better the result (with the consequence that the Sinn Fein figure, based on 2 interviews, is probably not typical!) - and more significant any differences (hence the increase of the I.C. to 2 decimal places).
*
Here is how things worked out in October 09:
*
Conservatives (124 interviews) - 0.87
Sinn Fein (2 interviews) - 0.75
SNP (11 interviews) - 0.65
UKIP (4 interviews) - 0.60
Labour (134 interviews) - 0.54
BNP (2 interviews) - 0.50
Greens (2 interviews) - 0.45
Liberal Democrats (32 interviews) - 0.37
Plaid Cymru (2 interviews) - 0.35
DUP (2 interviews) - 0.15
Alliance (1 interview) - 0
*
Now here's some strong statistical evidence that the BBC, as a whole, is significantly more likely to interrupt a Conservative spokesman than a Labour spokesman, not to mention a Lib Dem.
*
OCTOBER'S I.C.s - AIRTIME PERCENTAGES
*
With the BBC's coverage of the Conservative Party conference an unprecedented thing happened in October - the Conservatives got more air-time than Labour! Last month they came third behind the Liberal Democrats (whose party conference it was then). As I posted then, this distorts matters (http://beebbiascraig.blogspot.com/2009/10/septembers-ics-airtime-percentages.html) - distortion ironed out by combining October's figures with September's (the party conference season). This I shall do, as promised.
*
But first, here's this month's figures, complete with the actual amounts of interview time granted to each party:
*
Conservatives - 10 hours 51 minutes 29 seconds, 43.20%
Labour - 10 hours 42 minutes 41 seconds, 42.61%
Liberal Democrats - 1 hour 45 minutes 39 seconds, 6.99%
SNP - 1 hour 0 minutes 22 seconds, 3.99%
UKIP - 11 minutes 17 seconds, 0.74%
DUP - 9 minutes 2 seconds, 0.60%
BNP - 8 minutes 8 seconds, 0.54%
Sinn Fein - 6 minutes 16 seconds, 0.41%
Greens - 5 minutes 20 seconds, 0.34%
Alliance - 3 minutes 26 seconds, 0.22%
Plaid Cymru - 3 minutes 16 seconds, 0.21%
UUP - 2 minutes 27 seconds, 0.15%
*
**
Now for the combined figures for September/October:
*
Labour - 23 hours 7 minutes 58 seconds, 51.01%
Conservatives - 13 hours 43 minutes 30 seconds, 30.26%
Liberal Democrats - 5 hours 50 minutes 49 seconds, 12.88%
SNP - 1 hour 19 minutes 57 seconds, 2.92%
UKIP - 22 minutes 9 seconds, 0.81%
DUP - 11 minutes 17 seconds, 0.41%
Plaid Cymru - 10 minutes 50 seconds, 0.39%
Greens - 8 minutes 11 seconds, 0.30%
BNP - 8 minutes 6 seconds, 0.29%
Sinn Fein - 6 minutes 16 seconds, 0.23%
Independents - 5 minutes 16 seconds, 0.19%
UUP - 4 minutes 54 seconds, 0.17%
English Democrats - 2 minutes 27 seconds, 0.08%
SDLP - 1 minute 56 seconds, 0.06%
*
So, despite the Conservative Party conference, Labour continues the rule the BBC's airwaves, with a majority of the corporation's interview time.
*
Click on the label for 'Air Time' and you'll see that this is par for the course.
*
With the BBC's coverage of the Conservative Party conference an unprecedented thing happened in October - the Conservatives got more air-time than Labour! Last month they came third behind the Liberal Democrats (whose party conference it was then). As I posted then, this distorts matters (http://beebbiascraig.blogspot.com/2009/10/septembers-ics-airtime-percentages.html) - distortion ironed out by combining October's figures with September's (the party conference season). This I shall do, as promised.
*
But first, here's this month's figures, complete with the actual amounts of interview time granted to each party:
*
Conservatives - 10 hours 51 minutes 29 seconds, 43.20%
Labour - 10 hours 42 minutes 41 seconds, 42.61%
Liberal Democrats - 1 hour 45 minutes 39 seconds, 6.99%
SNP - 1 hour 0 minutes 22 seconds, 3.99%
UKIP - 11 minutes 17 seconds, 0.74%
DUP - 9 minutes 2 seconds, 0.60%
BNP - 8 minutes 8 seconds, 0.54%
Sinn Fein - 6 minutes 16 seconds, 0.41%
Greens - 5 minutes 20 seconds, 0.34%
Alliance - 3 minutes 26 seconds, 0.22%
Plaid Cymru - 3 minutes 16 seconds, 0.21%
UUP - 2 minutes 27 seconds, 0.15%
*
**
Now for the combined figures for September/October:
*
Labour - 23 hours 7 minutes 58 seconds, 51.01%
Conservatives - 13 hours 43 minutes 30 seconds, 30.26%
Liberal Democrats - 5 hours 50 minutes 49 seconds, 12.88%
SNP - 1 hour 19 minutes 57 seconds, 2.92%
UKIP - 22 minutes 9 seconds, 0.81%
DUP - 11 minutes 17 seconds, 0.41%
Plaid Cymru - 10 minutes 50 seconds, 0.39%
Greens - 8 minutes 11 seconds, 0.30%
BNP - 8 minutes 6 seconds, 0.29%
Sinn Fein - 6 minutes 16 seconds, 0.23%
Independents - 5 minutes 16 seconds, 0.19%
UUP - 4 minutes 54 seconds, 0.17%
English Democrats - 2 minutes 27 seconds, 0.08%
SDLP - 1 minute 56 seconds, 0.06%
*
So, despite the Conservative Party conference, Labour continues the rule the BBC's airwaves, with a majority of the corporation's interview time.
*
Click on the label for 'Air Time' and you'll see that this is par for the course.
*
OCTOBER'S I.C.s - THE NUMBER OF INTERVIEWS FOR EACH PARTY
*
As this month contained the Conservative Party conference, the Tories got a lot more interviews than usual. This makes my usual totals for the month less valuable in their own right but, as promised last month (http://beebbiascraig.blogspot.com/2009/10/septembers-ics-number-of-interview-for.html) I shall then remedy that difficulty.
*
Here, for the record then, are the figures for October alone:
*
Labour - 134
Conservatives - 124
Liberal Democrats - 32
SNP - 11
UKIP - 4
DUP - 2
BNP - 2
Sinn Fein - 2
Green - 2
Plaid Cymru - 2
Alliance - 1
*
Even with all coverage of the Conservative Party conference Labour still got the most invites to the BBC's studios!!
*
Now, as promised, here comes the combined tally for September and October, covering the whole of the party conference season, which gives the truer picture:
*
Labour - 259
Conservatives - 169
Liberal Democrats - 87
SNP - 15
UKIP - 7
Plaid Cymru - 4
DUP - 3
Greens - 3
UUP - 3
BNP -2
Sinn Fein - 2
Independents - 2
Alliance - 1
English Democrats - 1
SDLP - 1
As this month contained the Conservative Party conference, the Tories got a lot more interviews than usual. This makes my usual totals for the month less valuable in their own right but, as promised last month (http://beebbiascraig.blogspot.com/2009/10/septembers-ics-number-of-interview-for.html) I shall then remedy that difficulty.
*
Here, for the record then, are the figures for October alone:
*
Labour - 134
Conservatives - 124
Liberal Democrats - 32
SNP - 11
UKIP - 4
DUP - 2
BNP - 2
Sinn Fein - 2
Green - 2
Plaid Cymru - 2
Alliance - 1
*
Even with all coverage of the Conservative Party conference Labour still got the most invites to the BBC's studios!!
*
Now, as promised, here comes the combined tally for September and October, covering the whole of the party conference season, which gives the truer picture:
*
Labour - 259
Conservatives - 169
Liberal Democrats - 87
SNP - 15
UKIP - 7
Plaid Cymru - 4
DUP - 3
Greens - 3
UUP - 3
BNP -2
Sinn Fein - 2
Independents - 2
Alliance - 1
English Democrats - 1
SDLP - 1
Monday, 14 September 2009
INTRODUCING 'HEARTS AND MINDS'
The Scots have The Politics Show: Scotland and the lucky Welsh have Dragon's Eye. The equivalent in Northern Ireland (shown on the BBC Parliament Channel on Sundays) is Hearts and Minds, hosted by Noel Thomson. I thought it might be interesting to see if any trends in bias emerge over the coming months in its coverage of the province's political scene - using those tried-and-tested interruption coefficients.
*
Because Northern Ireland's political parties are so different to those of the rest of the United Kingdom - and because I want to keep my Air-Time Percentages index free from such obscuring complications - I won't be including the programme in my monthly I.C. spreadsheets - but it can have a spreadsheet of its own instead.
*
For starters, here are the figures for the first programme of the new season:
*
Arlene Foster, DUP - 1.6 (with 7 interruptions)
David McNarry, UUP - 1.2 (with 3 interruptions)
Alex Attwood, SDLP - 0.6 (with 2 interruptions)
John O'Dowd, Sinn Fein - 0.3 (with 1 interruption)
Stephen Farry, Alliance - 0 (with 0 interruptions)
*
*
Because Northern Ireland's political parties are so different to those of the rest of the United Kingdom - and because I want to keep my Air-Time Percentages index free from such obscuring complications - I won't be including the programme in my monthly I.C. spreadsheets - but it can have a spreadsheet of its own instead.
*
For starters, here are the figures for the first programme of the new season:
*
Arlene Foster, DUP - 1.6 (with 7 interruptions)
David McNarry, UUP - 1.2 (with 3 interruptions)
Alex Attwood, SDLP - 0.6 (with 2 interruptions)
John O'Dowd, Sinn Fein - 0.3 (with 1 interruption)
Stephen Farry, Alliance - 0 (with 0 interruptions)
*
Only time will tell whether these starkly contrasting figures are statistically significant - or not.
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