UK press coverage of the EU referendum (Report for the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford)

Abstract

This report examines how the UK press covered the EU Referendum story, and looks at what the key arguments, spokespeople, tone of articles, and areas of focus were during the referendum.

The report is based on analysis of two days of press coverage each week for London editions of nine national newspapers over 4 months of the campaign. Of the 2,378 articles analysed which were focused on the referendum, 41% were pro leave as against 27% pro-remain. Press coverage focused heavily on politicians and campaign spokespeople with relatively few analysts/experts, academics, and foreign politicians cited, and with more attention on personalities and the contest, than the issues.

The press reflected the generally negative tone of the campaign, but the Remain camp’s future focused messages were the most negative, particularly on the economy, compared to the Leave camp’s more positive tone about a UK outside the EU.