The media favours the yes-side in the Danish EU debate

Three out of four EU political sources in newspapers and TV come from the yes-side. And to the extent that the no-side gets speaking time, it is mostly the Danish National Party, Dansk Folkeparti, who gets a chance to speak. This is proved in a new analysis from the International Center for Business and Politics after the French and Dutch no to the new treaty.

Big difference

The survey, published in the Danish journal Ugebrevet A4 on 13 June, shows that in the period from 1 to 7 June, the yes-side was represented with an entire 76% and the no-side with only 24%. A difference that the originator of the project, Professor Anker Brink Lund, finds distinctive.

"Up to a referendum, you should aim at fairness in the sources so that the citizens can make their decision on whether to say yes or nor on a background of knowing both sides. This is not the case, which is democratically alarming. The media has forgotten that the election campaign began the moment that the date of the referendum was announced earlier this year," he says.

Read more in Ugebrevet A4 from 13 June 2005, page 8

The International Center for Business and Politics has for Ugebrevet A4 in the period 1 to 7 June analysed all articles and news features about the EU. The Danish news channels BT, Ekstra Bladet, Politiken, Berlingske Tidende, Morgenavisen Jyllandsposten, TV-Avisen, TV2 Nyhederne and Ritzau Bureau take part in the survey.