British National Party and Legitimisation Thesis: a Thematic Analysis of Press Coverage of the Bnp
British National Party and legitimisation thesis:
A thematic analysis of press coverage of the BNP
Kevin Murphy
University of Liverpool
2010
Contents
Abstract
Introduction and Methodology
Chapter 1: The British National Party and the Media
Chapter 2: Nick Griffin on Question Time: An analysis of national newspaper coverage
Chapter 3: The Liverpool Echo: An analysis of BNP coverage during 2009
Chapter 4: Conclusion
References
Appendix A: Content Analysis Data – Question Time (19/10/09 – 24/10/09)
Appendix B: Content Analysis Data – Liverpool Echo (01/01/09 – 31/12/09)
Abstract
The British National Party has been active in British politics for well over 20 years but has had limited success, with it claiming that one of the main reasons for this lack of success is that the mass media in the UK is largely biased against it. The purpose of this dissertation is to establish if there is any truth in the party’s claims by establishing the extent to which the party has been accepted as legitimate by the British media. The national newspapers the Daily Mail, the Guardian and the Sun were used, as well as the regional newspaper the Liverpool Echo, using thematic analysis, as developed by the Glasgow University Media Group. The findings are interesting as they show that the BNP has been accepted as legitimate by the national media, with the exception of the Guardian. This is an interesting finding in itself as a paradox emerged in that the Guardian does not accept the BNP as worthy of mainstream media attention, whilst at the same time affording it with the most media attention of the three national newspapers in the analysis. The findings of the Liverpool Echo analysis suggest that it does not accept the party as legitimate, but this finding is backed up by a lack of interest in the BNP.
Introduction and Methodology
The British National Party has been active in British politics for well over 20 years but has had limited success, especially
A thematic analysis of press coverage of the BNP
Kevin Murphy
University of Liverpool
2010
Contents
Abstract
Introduction and Methodology
Chapter 1: The British National Party and the Media
Chapter 2: Nick Griffin on Question Time: An analysis of national newspaper coverage
Chapter 3: The Liverpool Echo: An analysis of BNP coverage during 2009
Chapter 4: Conclusion
References
Appendix A: Content Analysis Data – Question Time (19/10/09 – 24/10/09)
Appendix B: Content Analysis Data – Liverpool Echo (01/01/09 – 31/12/09)
Abstract
The British National Party has been active in British politics for well over 20 years but has had limited success, with it claiming that one of the main reasons for this lack of success is that the mass media in the UK is largely biased against it. The purpose of this dissertation is to establish if there is any truth in the party’s claims by establishing the extent to which the party has been accepted as legitimate by the British media. The national newspapers the Daily Mail, the Guardian and the Sun were used, as well as the regional newspaper the Liverpool Echo, using thematic analysis, as developed by the Glasgow University Media Group. The findings are interesting as they show that the BNP has been accepted as legitimate by the national media, with the exception of the Guardian. This is an interesting finding in itself as a paradox emerged in that the Guardian does not accept the BNP as worthy of mainstream media attention, whilst at the same time affording it with the most media attention of the three national newspapers in the analysis. The findings of the Liverpool Echo analysis suggest that it does not accept the party as legitimate, but this finding is backed up by a lack of interest in the BNP.
Introduction and Methodology
The British National Party has been active in British politics for well over 20 years but has had limited success, especially