Yes side gets more media coverage

Pro-treaty groups and campaigners are commanding the lion's share of Lisbon coverage in the print media, according to a survey by TNS MediaMarket.

With just over two weeks to the referendum, the survey found Yes groups garnered 44 per cent of column inches in the national and Sunday press media over the last week, a drop of 7 per cent on the previous week.

The survey indicates No groups commanded 24 per cent of the coverage, the same percentage as the previous week.

Researchers said the treaty appeared to be playing “a bit-part” in larger issues faced by the political parties promoting a Yes vote, behind National Asset Management Agency (Nama) and speculation on a general election.

While Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Labour all dominated the Yes campaigners’ league, much of the references toward the treaty were “passing mentions”, the survey said.

This is the most likely explanation for the 7 per cent drop in Yes coverage to neutral, rather than ground being gained by the No campaign, it said.

However, the survey indicated the No side gained a strong boost at the end of the week with the re-emergence of Libertas leader Declan Ganley.

The analysis suggested the print media coverage strongly reflected a concern by the Yes side about the damage a No vote could do to the economic recovery.

Another debating point this week related to concerns over the next Irish Commissioner.

Tax and the treaty guarantees, secured by the Government, remained the subjects of several articles in the national and Sunday press, the survey said.