Newspapers are becoming less relevant as the digital age only grows, so do newspaper endorsements still play a role in shaping an election?
History of endorsements
Starting in the 19th century, newspapers like The Times and the Daily Telegraph often supported conservative politics, while The Guardian (then the Manchester Guardian) leaned towards liberal policies. In the early 20th century, influential press barons such as Lord Northcliffe wielded significant power, with papers like the Daily Mail and The Daily Mirror endorsing Conservative candidates.
By the mid-20th century, Labour gained traction with the Daily Herald (a precursor to The Sun) backing Labour candidates, while the Daily Express and the Daily Mail continued their Conservative support. A major shift occurred in 1969 when Rupert Murdoch acquired The Sun, transforming it into a powerful supporter of the Conservative Party starting with the 1979 general election. However, The Sun notably switched to endorse Labour’s Tony Blair in 1997, reflecting strategic interests.
In the 2019 general election, newspaper endorsements heavily favoured the Conservatives. Major publications such as The Sun, the Daily Mail, The Times, and the Daily Telegraph all endorsed the Conservatives, highlighting their stance on Brexit and economic policies. The Sun’s endorsement emphasised the need for a decisive government to deliver Brexit, aligning with Boris Johnson’s campaign promises. The Daily Mail also backed the Conservatives, criticising Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party’s policies as detrimental to the country. Meanwhile, the Guardian stood out by endorsing the Labour Party, advocating for its progressive policies and criticising Conservative austerity measures.
Printed newspapers are in decline
According to a 2019 report by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, print newspaper circulation in the UK fell by 52% from 2010 to 2018, thus showing a steep decline in traditional newspaper readership. Due to the accessibility of online news and aggregation services, people have found cheaper and more convenient ways to find news.
The revenue model for newspapers relies on subscription sales and advertising, and this has been significantly disrupted by digital advertising. Prominent digital platforms like Google, X (formerly Twitter), and Facebook can offer more targeted and cost-effective advertising solutions. These innovations in technology have resulted in downsized, and sometimes understaffed, newspapers which can further drive away readers and reduce sales.
Endorsements in this election
The Daily Star was the first newspaper to reveal their endorsement, and it was in favour of Count Binface, a satirical character standing against Rishi Sunak in Richmond. On 22 June, their front page claimed he was ‘twice as popular’ as former prime minister Liz Truss and was edging towards Sunak’s ratings.
This was followed by the Daily Telegraph with a ‘Telegraph View’ column titled “Vote Conservative to save Britain from the disaster of Labour”. It warned its predominantly right-wing readership the ‘UK could be waking up to the most left-wing government in generations’. It carried on to say ‘Yes, Labour offers “change”. But of what sort, and to what end?’. It mentioned Labour policies like the 20% VAT on private school fees, and the ‘culture wars’.
The rest of the endorsements have come through at roughly the same time (although some publications, notably papers like The Sun and the Express, have yet to publish their allegiances, and are expected to do so over the next few days).
The Daily Mail also backs the Tories, as they published a Mail Comment piece over the weekend titled “To all Tories we say: you have the right to be angry over your partie’s errors but don’t let anger blind you to the perils of Starmerism”.
The Daily and Sunday Mirror have backed Labour and their front pages showed other front pages from other Conservative scandals. Other notable papers backing Labour include the Guardian, The Independent, and The Daily Record.
The Financial Times and The Sunday Times have also come out in support of Labour. The Sunday paper backed the Conservatives at every election since 2005 but said in its latest edition that the country could not carry on with what it said was now an ‘exhausted’ party.
“We believe it is now the right time for Labour to be entrusted with restoring competence to government,” the editorial said. “There comes a time when change is the only option”.
Magazines like The Economist and the New Statesman have endorsed the Labour Party.
Relevance of newspaper endorsements
Newspapers have traditionally been a trusted source of information and analysis, with established readerships that rely on them for guidance on political matters. An endorsement from a prominent newspaper can lend credibility to a candidate or party, helping to sway undecided voters. The opinions expressed by these media outlets often reflect the values and priorities of their readers, making their endorsements particularly persuasive to those who align with the publication’s editorial stance.
A study by Jonathan Ladd and Gabriel Lenz on the 1997 UK general election found that newspaper endorsements could have a substantial effect. They identified an “8.6 percentage point increase in the Labour vote” among readers of newspapers that switched their endorsement from Conservative to Labour. It is important to note: the sales and readership of newspapers have decreased since 1997.Ivor Gaber, Professor of Political Journalism at the University of Sussex said “Endorsements from newspapers can have a significant impact because they often reflect the collective opinion of influential editorial boards, which can sway public sentiment and provide a sense of legitimacy and momentum to a candidate’s campaign.”
