Stephen Cushion

Why this matters ahead of May 2026

With most relying on UK wide media, clearer reporting on devolved vs reserved powers will be essential for an informed election.

Thanks to @maxwellmodell.bsky.social @perkinskeighley.bsky.social and Llion Carbis for their data analysis on project

Public opinion of how UK-wide media report Welsh politics A Flourish data visualization by Maxwll Modell

Public frustration with UK wide reporting

Nearly half (46%) think UK outlets do a bad job covering
Welsh politics.

The most common reasons:

• Too focused on England

• Not enough coverage of Wales

• Little clarity on who controls what

public.flourish.studio/visualisatio...

UK wide media news could be more accurate

• 46% rely mainly on UK wide news
• 34% rely on both UK wide and Wales news
• UK news often lacks clarity about which nation an issue applies to

Example: 59% misinterpreted a BBC story about junior doctor
strikes in England as applying across the UK.

Knowledge of voting system A Flourish data visualization by Maxwll Modell

Confusion over the new voting system

Only 7% correctly identified the Closed List system being used for the 2026 Senedd election.

A majority (58%) simply said they didn’t know:

public.flourish.studio/visualisatio...

Knowledge of party political leaders A Flourish data visualization by Maxwll Modell

Low recognition of Welsh political leaders

• Eluned Morgan: known by 62%

• Rhun ap Iorwerth: 47%

• Darren Millar: 21%

• Jane Dodds: 18%

• Dan Thomas: 10%

• Anthony Slaughter: 4%

• Nigel Farage stands out with 94% recognition.

public.flourish.studio/visualisatio...

Public awareness of policy areas 2 A Flourish data visualization by Maxwll Modell

Even in high profile areas, knowledge gaps persist

Many still struggled to identify whether the Welsh or UK Government is responsible:

• Education: 30% incorrect/unsure

• Health & social care: 32%

• Transport: 35%

• Immigration: 29%

public.flourish.studio/visualisatio...

Public awareness of policy areas 1 A Flourish data visualization by Maxwll Modell

A majority of people in Wales were wrong or unsure about several core responsibilities:

• Social care delivery: 81% incorrect/unsure

• Policing: 69% incorrect/unsure

• Broadcasting: 58% incorrect/unsure

• Economic development: 51% incorrect/unsure

public.flourish.studio/visualisatio...

Understanding the needs of media users in Wales: New survey uncovers striking gaps in public knowledge of devolved powers and party leaders ahead of May’s Senedd election — Researching the impartialit... With just over two months until the Senedd election, a new Cardiff University/YouGov survey has revealed widespread public confusion about the responsibilities of the Welsh Government, with many peopl...

New Cardiff University/YouGov research reveals major gaps in public understanding of devolved powers, Welsh political leaders and the new Senedd voting system - just months before the May 2026 election.

What we found 👇

www.enhancingimpartiality.com/blog/knowled...

Why isn’t the Greens’ growing success reflected in media coverage? Greens have not received more airtime in recognition of their growing popularity.

New research by the Impartiality project team (@stephencushion.bsky.social, @mattwalshjourno.bsky.social, @maxwellmodell.bsky.social & myself) tracked coverage of the Greens on BBC & ITV News at 10.

🔗 tinyurl.com/yzmeujxm

🧵👇

#impartiality #GreenParty #GortonandDenton #byelection

Why isn’t the Greens’ growing success reflected in media coverage? Greens have not received more airtime in recognition of their growing popularity.

Write up of our latest research on impartiality, and why the Greens are still struggling for a broadcast breakthrough

After winning the by-election, should the Greens be given more airtime? — Researching the impartiality of political news News programmes are leading their coverage this morning with the Greens’ historic victory in the Gorton and Denton parliamentary by-election – the first the party has ever achieved. But our new resear...

New blog!

The @greenparty.org.uk striking victory brings into focus how the broadcasters treat the party.

Despite sustained improvements in opinion ratings, our new research suggests broadcasters still treat them as a minor party of little electoral significance.

tinyurl.com/35yzcsas
(1/6)

Our new research about the Green Party well summarised below 👇

SNP appearances on BBC Question Time plummet, new research shows SNP appearances on Question Time have dramatically dropped in the last year compared to the previous decade, fresh research by experts has revealed.

EXCL: SNP appearances plummet and right-wing journos appear twice as often as left-wing...🤔

Some intriguing findings by media experts at @cardiffuni.bsky.social about Question Time in 2025👀

Thanks to @maxwellmodell.bsky.social for sharing insights!

www.thenational.scot/news/2577777...

The impartiality of Question Time: An analysis of panellists in 2025 — Researching the impartiality of political news The BBC’s weekly debate political programme, Question Time , has long been a magnet for controversy. And 2025 has been no different, with critics regularly questioning its impartiality, most often be...

A new blog from the Enhancing the Impartiality of News project takes a look at who appeared on Question Time throughout 2025 & what those guest choices reveal about how the programme interprets political balance.

🔗 bit.ly/4jLeYY2

🧵👇

#BBC #QuestionTime #impartiality #impartialityproject

The impartiality of Question Time: An analysis of panellists in 2025 — Researching the impartiality of political news The BBC’s weekly debate political programme, Question Time , has long been a magnet for controversy. And 2025 has been no different, with critics regularly questioning its impartiality, most often be...

With Question Time returning to our screens for 2026, we decided to look back at who appeared on the programme in 2025 to assess how producers interpreted impartiality when selecting panellists, updating @mattwalshjourno.bsky.social's study of panellists from 2014-2024.

tinyurl.com/yc77s5mp

🧵 7/7

The Impartiality Project consists of @stephencushion.bsky.social, @mattwalshjourno.bsky.social, @maxwellmodell.bsky.social & myself.

#impartiality #impartialityproject #politicalcommunication #polsky

Are broadcasters reflecting multi-party politics in the UK? An analysis of BBC News at Ten and ITV News at Ten in 2025 — Researching the impartiality of political news Over the last year, support for the main two political parties – Labour and Conservative – has collapsed and a new era of multi party politics has begun. Reform UK has now taken a sustained and comman...

Full study with @maxwellmodell.bsky.social @perkinskeighley.bsky.social @mattwalshjourno.bsky.social found here: www.enhancingimpartiality.com/blog/broadca...

Rise of Reform's coverage in TV coverage through 2025 well illustrated in our new @cujournmedcul.bsky.social study 👇

Particularly since a majority of the public think net migration has gone significantly up not down - especially GB News viewers and Reform voters: www.theguardian.com/media/2025/o...

GB News viewers more likely to wrongly believe net migration to UK rising, study finds Research also finds majority of people are against letting politicians front current affairs programmes

Great piece Sam - it’s not only that public opinion is lagging but our recently commissioned October You Gov poll showed vast majority thought net migration was increasing, especially among Reform voters: www.theguardian.com/media/2025/o...

Little airtime for Scottish politics on UK news TV, study finds Reform got the most coverage in BBC and ITV’s evening bulletins, while the SNP featured in only 38 items across nine months, researchers said

I must admit I have absolutely no understanding of TV news but I can see why devolution and the end of two-party politics pose big challenges for flagship network bulletins. Are BBC/ITN editors getting the balance right?
www.thetimes.com/article/0e0f...

Full study with @perkinskeighley.bsky.social @maxwellmodell.bsky.social and @mattwalshjourno.bsky.social can be found here: www.enhancingimpartiality.com/blog/broadca...

Our new Cardiff University study picked up in the @thelondoneconomic.bsky.social 👇

In September, Reform overtook the Tories as the most referenced oppositional party on the BBC and ITV News at Ten programmes

Are broadcasters reflecting multi-party politics in the UK? An analysis of BBC News at Ten and ITV News at Ten in 2025 — Researching the impartiality of political news Over the last year, support for the main two political parties – Labour and Conservative – has collapsed and a new era of multi party politics has begun. Reform UK has now taken a sustained and comman...

Full study with @perkinskeighley.bsky.social @maxwellmodell.bsky.social and @mattwalshjourno.bsky.social can be found here: www.enhancingimpartiality.com/blog/broadca...

Our new Cardiff University study featured today in @scotnational.bsky.social 👇

Exclusive: Reform overtakes the Conservatives in media mentions New research from Cardiff University finds Reform is now treated as the opposition party on mainstream news shows

In our latest blog, we (@stephencushion.bsky.social, @mattwalshjourno.bsky.social, @maxwellmodell.bsky.social & myself) analyse how BBC News at Ten & ITV News at Ten cover opposition parties & their leaders.

🔗 tinyurl.com/5ypk7wv4

#impartialityproject #politicaljournalism #mediastandards

Exclusive: Reform overtakes the Conservatives in media mentions New research from Cardiff University finds Reform is now treated as the opposition party on mainstream news shows

Exclusive: Reform overtook the Tories as the most referenced opposition party on both the BBC and ITV.

“Reform UK was the dominant party in more than twice as many stories as the Conservatives and just under four times more stories than the Liberal Democrats."

www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...

Exclusive: Reform overtakes the Conservatives in media mentions New research from Cardiff University finds Reform is now treated as the opposition party on mainstream news shows

Our new study 🚨'Are broadcasters reflecting multi-party politics in the UK? An analysis of BBC News at Ten and ITV News at Ten in 2025' written up brilliantly by @rmcunliffe.bsky.social in The @newstatesman1913.bsky.social Thread with headlines: www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...

“While our study found no breaches of the UK's rules on due impartiality, we concluded that broadcasters may want to execute some caution when reporting parties on the basis of setting the political weather – otherwise it could encourage parties to adopt extreme positions/policies”