DATA SHEET AND METHODOLOGY
Fact Sheet 1
Our Media Monitoring Unit analysed prime time ABC News, National Nine News, Seven Nightly News and Ten News broadcasts from September 7-13, 1998. Rehame Media Monitoring Services selected all reports concerning the Federal election from each program for our analysis.
Based on methodology developed by the Fraser Institute, based in Vancouver, Canada, our researchers watched all election reports for information and commentary on Coalition or Labor Party policies.
Each comment on Coalition or Labor platforms was identified and coded according to the source (journalist, politician, expert, general public, etc.), the party (Coalition or Labor), the policy issue (health policy, tax reform, communications, etc.) and the appraisal (neutral, favourable, unfavourable). Each appraisal was discussed by two researchers, and in the case of a disagreement between the researchers, an arbitrator was asked to make the final decision. Appraisals were based on explicit assessments ("such and such a policy is good for Australia") or the potential impact ("the G.S.T. will raise the price of petrol in the bush").
Results were recorded in an Microsoft Access database for retrieval and analysis.
NEGATIVITY OF TV NEWS
| Comments | Observations | |
| All networks: Neutral Positive Negative Total | 32 36 96 164 | 19.5% 22.0% 58.5% 100.0% |
| ABC: Neutral Positive Negative Total | 10 14 40 64 | 15.6% 21.9% 62.5% 100.0% |
| Commercial: Neutral Positive Negative Total | 22 22 56 100 | 22.0% 22.0% 56.0% 100.0% |
ABC PROVIDES MOST POLICY NEWS
| Observations | ||
| Networks: ABC Ten Seven Nine Total | 64 53 28 19 164 | 39.0% 32.3% 17.1% 11.6% 100.0% |
FOCUS ON COALITION PLATFORM
| Observations | ||
| All networks: Coalition Labor Total | 107 57 164 | 65.2% 34.8% 100.0% |
| ABC: Coalition Labor Total | 50 14 64 | 78.1% 21.9% 100.0% |
| Commercial: Coalition Labor Total | 57 43 100 | 57.0% 43.0% 100.0% |
CRITICISMS FOCUS ON COALITION
| Observations | ||
| All networks: Coalition Labor Total | 70 26 96 | 72.9% 27.1% 100.0% |
| ABC: Coalition Labor Total | 33 7 40 | 82.5% 17.5% 100.0% |
| Commercial: Coalition Labor Total | 37 19 56 | 66.1% 33.9% 100.0% |
POSITIVE-NEGATIVE BALANCE
| Observations | Ratio | |
| (pro Party & con opponent) | ||
| All networks: Coalition Labor Total | 48 84 132 | 1.75 to 1 |
| ABC: Coalition Labor Total | 17 37 54 | 2.2 to 1 |
| Commercial: Coalition Labor Total | 31 47 78 | 1.5 to 1 |
Fact Sheet 2
Our Media Monitoring Unit analysed prime time ABC News, National Nine News, Seven Nightly News and Ten News broadcasts from September 7-13 (week 2) & 14-20 (week 3) 1998. These are the results for all election reports for information and commentary on Coalition or Labor Party policies.
TAX DOMINATES POLICY ISSUES
| Observations -- all Networks: | ||||
| Coalition | ALP | |||
| Taxation | 200 | 39% | 144 | 56 |
| Employment | 85 | 17% | 71 | 14 |
| Education | 48 | 9% | 11 | 37 |
| Law & Order | 35 | 7% | 35 | 0 |
| Industry Policy | 33 | 6% | 28 | 5 |
| Communications | 21 | 4% | ||
| Social policy | 19 | 4% | Total top 5 issues | |
| Government spending | 18 | 4% | 289 | 112 |
| Health & Aged Care | 16 | 3% | ||
| Arts, Culture & Heritage | 9 | 2% | ||
| Economic Management | 8 | 2% | ||
| Industrial Relations | 8 | 2% | ||
| Indigenous issues | 7 | 1% | ||
| Environment | 4 | 1% | ||
| Total | 511 | 100% | ||
Fact Sheet 3
Our Media Monitoring Unit analysed prime time ABC News, National Nine News, Seven Nightly News and Ten News broadcasts from August 31-September 6 (week 1), September 7-13 (week 2), 14-20 (week 3) & 21-27 (week 4) 1998. These are the results for all election reports for information and commentary on Coalition or Labor Party policies.
TAX, THEN EMPLOYMENT, DOMINATES POLICY ISSUES
| Observations -- all Networks: | ||||
| Coalition | ALP | |||
| Taxation | 515 | 40% | 398 | 117 |
| Employment | 292 | 23% | 120 | 172 |
| Past Record | 61 | 5% | 9 | 52 |
| Health & Aged Care | 57 | 4% | 34 | 23 |
| Industry Policy | 51 | 4% | 28 | 23 |
| Economic Management | 50 | 4% | ||
| Education | 50 | 4% | Total top 5 issues | |
| Environment | 49 | 4% | 589 | 387 |
| Social policy | 45 | 4% | ||
| Law & Order | 35 | 3% | ||
| Communications | 24 | 2% | ||
| Government spending | 18 | 1% | ||
| Industrial Relations | 11 | 1% | ||
| Arts, Culture & Heritage | 9 | 1% | ||
| Indigenous issues | 7 | 1% | ||
| Privatisation | 5 | 0.4% | ||
| Total | 1279 | 100% | ||
| Commercials | ABC | |||
| Coalition Tax Policy Neutral Positive Negative Total | 45 51 139 235 | 19% 22% 59% 100% | 30 40 93 163 | 18% 25% 57% 100% |
| ALP Employment Policy Neutral Positive Negative Total | 38 28 50 116 | 33% 24% 43% 100% | 15 16 24 56 | 29% 29% 43% 100% |
| Coalition Employment Policy Neutral Positive Negative Total | 18 13 35 66 | 27% 20% 53% 100% | 11 12 31 54 | 20% 22% 57% 100% |
| ALP Tax Policy Neutral Positive Negative Total | 8 17 48 73 | 11% 23% 66% 100% | 2 10 32 44 | 5% 23% 73% 100% |
WEEK 4: TV NEWS POLICY COVERAGE BECOME MORE NEGATIVE
| Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Cumulative | ||||||
| Comments | ||||||||||
| All networks: Neutral Positive Negative Total | 113 95 194 402 | 28% 24% 48% 100% | 32 36 96 164 | 20% 22% 59% 100% | 121 83 159 363 | 33% 23% 44% 100% | 81 75 194 350 | 23% 21% 55% 100% | 347 289 643 1279 | 27% 23% 50% 100% |
| ABC: Neutral Positive Negative Total | 35 30 75 140 | 25% 21% 54% 100% | 10 14 40 64 | 16% 22% 63% 100% | 31 40 59 130 | 24% 31% 45% 100% | 30 33 85 148 | 20% 22% 57% 100% | 106 117 259 482 | 22% 24% 54% 100% |
| Commercials: Neutral Positive Negative Total | 78 65 119 262 | 30% 25% 45% 100% | 22 22 56 100 | 22% 22% 56% 100% | 90 43 100 233 | 39% 18% 43% 100% | 51 42 109 202 | 25% 21% 54% 100% | 241 172 384 797 | 30% 22% 48% 100% |
WEEK 4: TV NEWS POLICY COVERAGE BECOME MORE NEGATIVE
| Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Cumulative | ||||||
| Total Observations for each Major Party | ||||||||||
| All networks: Coalition Labor Total | 242 160 402 | 60% 40% 100% | 107 57 164 | 65% 35% 100% | 264 99 363 | 73% 27% 100% | 188 162 350 | 54% 46% 100% | 801 478 1279 | 63% 37% 100% |
| ABC: Coalition Labor Total | 92 48 140 | 66% 34% 100% | 50 14 64 | 78% 22% 100% | 85 45 130 | 65% 35% 100% | 94 54 148 | 64% 36% 100% | 321 161 482 | 67% 33% 100% |
| Commercials: Coalition Labor Total | 150 112 262 | 57% 43% 100% | 57 43 100 | 57% 43% 100% | 179 54 233 | 77% 23% 100% | 94 108 202 | 47% 53% 100% | 480 317 797 | 60% 40% 100% |
WEEK 4: COMMERCIALS' NEGATIVE COVERAGE BECOME MORE BALANCED
| Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Cumulative | ||||||
| Negative Comments for each Major Party | ||||||||||
| All networks: Coalition Labor Total | 119 75 194 | 61% 39% 100% | 70 26 96 | 73% 27% 100% | 110 49 159 | 69% 31% 100% | 113 81 194 | 58% 42% 100% | 412 231 643 | 64% 36% 100% |
| ABC: Coalition Labor Total | 49 26 75 | 65% 35% 100% | 33 7 40 | 83% 18% 100% | 30 29 59 | 51% 49% 100% | 59 26 85 | 69% 31% 100% | 171 88 259 | 66% 34% 100% |
| Commercials: Coalition Labor Total | 70 49 119 | 59% 41% 100% | 37 19 56 | 66% 34% 100% | 80 20 100 | 80% 20% 100% | 54 55 109 | 50% 50% 100% | 241 143 384 | 63% 37% 100% |
Fact Sheet 4
Our Media Monitoring Unit analysed prime time ABC News, National Nine News, Seven Nightly News and Ten News broadcasts from August 31-September 6 (week 1), September 7-13 (week 2), 14-20 (week 3), 21-27 (week 4) & September 28-October 2 (week 5) 1998. These are the results for all election reports for information and commentary on Coalition or Labor Party policies.
TAX, THEN EMPLOYMENT, DOMINATES POLICY ISSUES
| Observations -- all Networks: | ||||
| Coalition | ALP | |||
| Taxation | 653 | 44% | 511 | 142 |
| Employment | 310 | 21% | 123 | 187 |
| Past Record | 67 | 5% | 10 | 57 |
| Health & Aged Care | 61 | 4% | 37 | 24 |
| Economic Management | 53 | 4% | 48 | 5 |
| Industry Policy | 51 | 3% | ||
| Education | 51 | 3% | Total top 5 issues | |
| Environment | 50 | 3% | 729 | 415 |
| Social policy | 45 | 3% | ||
| Communications | 36 | 2% | ||
| Law & Order | 35 | 2% | ||
| Industrial Relations | 30 | 2% | ||
| Government spending | 18 | 1% | ||
| Arts, Culture & Heritage | 9 | 1% | ||
| Indigenous issues | 7 | 0% | ||
| Privatisation | 5 | 0.3% | ||
| Total | 1481 | 100% | ||
| Commercials | ABC | |||
| Coalition Tax Policy Neutral Positive Negative Total | 54 70 198 322 | 17% 22% 61% 100% | 33 44 112 189 | 17% 23% 59% 100% |
| ALP Employment Policy Neutral Positive Negative Total | 41 29 55 125 | 33% 23% 44% 100% | 17 17 28 62 | 27% 27% 45% 100% |
| Coalition Employment Policy Neutral Positive Negative Total | 18 13 37 68 | 26% 19% 54% 100% | 11 12 32 55 | 20% 22% 58% 100% |
| ALP Tax Policy Neutral Positive Negative Total | 8 17 59 84 | 10% 20% 70% 100% | 4 11 43 58 | 7% 19% 74% 100% |
WEEK 5: TV NEWS POLICY COVERAGE BECOME MUCH MORE NEGATIVE
| Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Cumulative | |||||||
| Comments | ||||||||||||
| All networks: Neutral Positive Negative Total | 113 95 194 402 | 28% 24% 48% 100% | 32 36 96 164 | 20% 22% 59% 100% | 121 83 159 363 | 33% 23% 44% 100% | 81 75 194 350 | 23% 21% 55% 100% | 23 29 150 202 | 11% 14% 74% 100% | 370 318 793 1481 | 25% 21% 54% 100% |
| ABC: Neutral Positive Negative Total | 35 30 75 140 | 25% 21% 54% 100% | 10 14 40 64 | 16% 22% 63% 100% | 31 40 59 130 | 24% 31% 45% 100% | 30 33 85 148 | 20% 22% 57% 100% | 7 8 47 62 | 11% 13% 76% 100% | 113 125 306 544 | 21% 23% 56% 100% |
| Commercials: Neutral Positive Negative Total | 78 65 119 262 | 30% 25% 45% 100% | 22 22 56 100 | 22% 22% 56% 100% | 90 43 100 233 | 39% 18% 43% 100% | 51 42 109 202 | 25% 21% 54% 100% | 16 21 103 140 | 11% 15% 74% 100% | 257 193 487 937 | 27% 21% 52% 100% |
WEEK 5: COMMERCIALS' NEGATIVE COVERAGE BECOME VERY HOSTILE TO COALITION
| Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Cumulative | |||||||
| Negative Comments for each Major Party | ||||||||||||
| All networks: Coalition Labor Total | 119 75 194 | 61% 39% 100% | 70 26 96 | 73% 27% 100% | 110 49 159 | 69% 31% 100% | 113 81 194 | 58% 42% 100% | 114 36 150 | 76% 24% 100% | 526 267 793 | 64% 36% 100% |
| ABC: Coalition Labor Total | 49 26 75 | 65% 35% 100% | 33 7 40 | 83% 18% 100% | 30 29 59 | 51% 49% 100% | 59 26 85 | 69% 31% 100% | 29 18 47 | 62% 38% 100% | 200 106 306 | 65% 35% 100% |
| Commercials: Coalition Labor Total | 70 49 119 | 59% 41% 100% | 37 19 56 | 66% 34% 100% | 80 20 100 | 80% 20% 100% | 54 55 109 | 50% 50% 100% | 85 18 103 | 83% 17% 100% | 326 161 487 | 67% 33% 100% |
POSITIVE―NEGATIVE BALANCE
| Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Cumulative | |||||||
| Ratio of positive―ALP―and―negative―Coalition comments to positive―Coalition―and―negative―ALP comments. | ||||||||||||
| Ratio | Ratio | Ratio | Ratio | Ratio | Ratio | |||||||
| All networks: Coalition Labor | 131 158 | 1.14 to 1 | 48 84 | 1.75 to 1 | 113 129 | 1.14 to 1 | 124 145 | 1.17 to 1 | 61 118 | 1.9 to 1 | 477 634 | 1.33 to 1 |
| ABC: Coalition Labor | 45 60 | 1.33 to 1 | 17 37 | 2.2 to 1 | 61 38 | 1 to 1.6 | 46 72 | 1.6 to 1 | 24 31 | 1.3 to 1 | 193 238 | 1.23 to 1 |
| Commercials: Coalition Labor | 86 98 | 1.14 to 1 | 31 47 | 1.5 to 1 | 52 91 | 1.75 to 1 | 78 73 | 1 to 1.1 | 37 87 | 2.35 to 1 | 284 396 | 1.4 to 1 |
| Seven: Coalition Labor | 22 29 | 1.32 to 1 | 12 11 | 1 to 1.1 | 12 15 | 1.25 to 1 | 10 14 | 1.4 to 1 | 11 25 | 2.3 to 1 | 67 94 | 1.4 to 1 |
| Ten: Coalition Labor | 33 38 | 1.15 to 1 | 15 24 | 1.6 to 1 | 21 40 | 1.9 to 1 | 26 27 | 1 to 1 | 8 36 | 4.5 to 1 | 103 165 | 1.6 to 1 |
| Nine: Coalition Labor | 31 31 | 1 to 1 | 4 12 | 3 to 1 | 19 36 | 1.9 to 1 | 42 32 | 1 to 1.3 | 18 26 | 1.4 to 1 | 114 137 | 1.2 to 1 |
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