Newspaper content during the 1996 Maltese election

Abstract

Philip Seib (1994) said: "Political journalism matters .... Politicians' words and deeds earn few votes unless the public knows about them. Issues may seem obscure and unimportant unless news stories explain their significance..... candidates can learn much about the electorate by monitoring what news organizations report, especially local media." But is this the reality? From daily readings of newspapers, I sometimes find it hard to believe that they are reporting the gray world that I live in. During, elections, the Maltese press seems to become a politician's machine, where one paper claims that Malta is black and another asserting that it is white. In this study, I will analyze newspaper content in the 1996 Maltese Election. I will try to identify the degree of objectivity, and impartiality in the newspapers. I will study coverage given to political parties by the different newspapers, the issues mentioned by the press, and the happenings that make news. I will also look at the ownership and editorial stand, and the way it may effect news content. I wilt likewise look at the role that politicians play in journalism.