Abstract
How do the UK national newspapers report on co-operatives? Is there media bias and are co-operatives neglected in mainstream journalism? This article analyses the general coverage of co-operatives across UK national newspapers in 2020 to understand how co-operatives are presented to the public. The research is based on two key questions: how often are co-operatives reported on in UK national newspapers; and what kinds of stories feature co-operatives? Results show that co-operatives remain virtually invisible in mainstream newsprint. Only 640 pieces are published with just 32 stories featuring co-operatives in any great depth. These can be categorised using four themes: high profile business; features; personality-driven journalism; and community activism. Based on these themes, the article makes three points about the UK national newspaper coverage: co-operation is never explained; co-operation is associated with ‘other’ people such as foreigners or the poor; and co-operation is politicised. The article concludes by arguing that because co-operatives continue to be a marginal presence in UK national newspapers, co-operative journalism and journalism about co-operatives is needed now more than ever.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 39-50 |
| Journal | Journal of Co-operative Studies |
| Volume | 54 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2022 |
Research Groups and Themes
- MGMT theme Inclusive Economy
- MGMT Work Organisation and Public Policy
Keywords
- Co-operatives
Access to Document
- Full-text PDF (accepted author manuscript)
This is the accepted author manuscript (AAM). The final published version (version of record) is available online via UK Society for Co-operative Studies at https://www.ukscs.coop/pages/journal-of-co-operative-studies. Please refer to any applicable terms of use of the publisher.