Making the News: Spatial and Non-Spatial Biases in British Parliamentary Reports of the Rowntree-Mackintosh Takeover

This paper brings together an interest in two hitherto separate areas of geographical research, first how news is reported in ways generating spatial and non-spatial bias, and secondly the takeover of local companies by externally-controlled corporations. A review of the geography of news coverage leads to some suggested extensions which are then explored empirically through the reporting by the British quality daily press of parliamentary debates on the takeover bid for Rowntree-Mackintosh by Nestle and Suchard. A number of differences among the four papers examined are found, and each also differs from the official Hansard record, though not always in ways easy to explain. Some methodological and practical conclusions can be drawn.