Obligation of the press?

[nigidivitch]

Does anyone know whether the Press has an obligation to cover all parties in a general election?

[bernardo]

Newspapers? No.
TV? Yes - there is a general agreement on the number of broadcasts and air-time they have, based on their level of supoport and number of candidates.

[Oneeyedvic]

I think (but I maybe wrong) that only the bbc have an obligation - and that is because of the licence - itv, channels 4 & 5 and of course Murdochs Sky News do not have any obligations as do none of the papers. I also think it is the main parties as I do not remember the bbc showing the monster raving loony party election broadcast, nor the legalise canabis party. I also think that we are the only country to have the independent bbc - in any other country you can buy your "advertising" / broadcasts

[bernardo]

There is a long-standing agreement that any party which has more than a certain number of candidates at a general election has the right ot do a broadcast. It used to be 50, but now it's 110. This is an agreement which all the main broadcasters stick to, although it is not legally binding.

[Oneeyedvic]

Including Sky News? can't see Murdoch signing up to that? or was this the main terrestial channels?