Ever since Johann Gutenburg (1400-1468) invented and developed the printing press in 1457, mass media has played an increasingly important role in the development, form and struggle over ideas and social issues. Luther Martin (1483-1546) and his followers were the first to use any mass media technology in 1517. Luther’s demands that were nailed on the door of the cathedral in Wittenberg were promptly reproduced on posters and within weeks had appeared throughout Germany and France. By 1815 the power of the media was widely acknowledged by the ruling elite, Napoleon had stated that, “four hostile Newspapers are more to be feared than a thousand bayonets.”

During this essay I intend to look at different areas of the media, mainly newspapers and televised news, and discuss how they present and air their views on industrial disputes. I will discuss how they use different techniques, wording and angles to manipulate and influence the public into believing only one aspect or perspective with regards to industrial disputes. I will look at cases from the 1970’s and discuss how the media exploit the public’s perspective of industrial deb

It is clear from my research that the media influence and manipulate the public by using subtle, and in most cases, unnoticeable media techniques, particularly when reporting on industrial disputes. The press use particular facts and figures that support their argument against the disputes. They often focus primarily on the consequences and the effects of the dispute on the economy and the public, rather than the cause and the unions and workers who are involved. The press interview numerous people connected with specific industrial disputes, however they only print the quotes that back their overall argument.

As mentioned earlier, the press often focus primarily on the effects of disputes rather than the causes. The solution to the problems is also given far less precedence than the creation or threat of the disputes. For example, in 1978, after several weeks of giving major prominence to the effects of the series of one-day rail strikes, when these were called off the news gave the dispute more restrained treatment. Similarly, the end of the lorry driver’s strike received much less coverage than the calling of the dispute and the gloomy predictions of disaster famine and mass unemployment that accompanied it.

Some topics in this essay:
Department Employment, Germany France, Harold Evans, Daily Mail, Conservative Government, Luther Martin, Johann Gutenburg, Rupert Murdoch, , industrial disputes, Margaret Thatcher’s, post war strike, unions workers, trade union, mass media, coverage industrial, industrial debates, received coverage, workers interviewed, coverage industrial disputes, air views, focus primarily,