Television Recruitment Advertising

EDM number 179 in 1989-90, proposed by James Pawsey on 11/12/1989.

That this House notes with concern the unchallenged findings of recent research which establishes that both the British Broadcasting Corporation and independent television companies place more than four times as much staff recruitment advertising in The Guardian (circulation 470,000) as in The Times and the Independent (combined circulation 830,000); and further believes that to recruit almost exclusively from the narrow minority group of Guardian readers whose views are predominantly left wing is contrary to the spirit of the obligations of political balance in broadcasting and is an explanation of the self-righteous and unctuous hostility of broadcasters towards the present government.

This motion has been signed by a total of 94 MPs, 3 of these signatures have been withdrawn.