The United Kingdom Election, 8th June 2017.
![[Image: attachment.php?aid=1946]](http://rogue-nation3.com/attachment.php?aid=1946)
Great Britain goes to the polls today and unlike the USA, television outlets cannot publicly
broadcast an opinion or suggest an exit-poll before 10.00pm of that day.
Most people in the UK believe they have 'free speech' and for voters, they do. However,
since a law passed in 1983 that states it is illegal for media companies to sway an election
by discussing possible voting results or giving predictions from 12.30am of election day
until 10.00pm that night.
Most newspapers can slip under the restriction due to their need to print and distribute
before the deadline, so it's only recently that this law has come into the general public's
eye-line.
And you thought the Limeys lived in a free world?!
One can only imagine the frustration the US media would undergo if such a law was
introduced in their country!!
'...On Thursday 8th June, broadcasters – and all media outlets – will stop reporting on any
election campaigns from 12:30am. There will be a weird day of slightly stilted reporting
until the restriction ends at 10pm when polls close.
This will apply to TV and radio and print media. It also extends to all news websites, although
only to newly-published material: old articles don't have to be taken down.
Reports will be restricted to factual accounts of what's going on, and awkward shots of
politicians striding into and out of polling stations to cast their ballots.
Under the 1983 Act it is a criminal offence to publish an opinion or exit poll before the polls
close at 10pm, or even to publicly broadcast a prediction of the results based on an exit poll.
The point of this is that if exit polls revealed a runaway winner, that might affect voters who
still hadn't cast their ballot – messing with the whole democratic process.
Social media is tricky when it comes to making rules. Certainly the broadcasters' official
Facebook and Twitter accounts must steer clear of reporting on the campaigns.
But individual journalists – particularly broadcasters – must also be careful about what they
say on social media. It remains to be seen where the line is drawn on tweeting about the
general election 2017...'
SOURCE:
Great Britain goes to the polls today and unlike the USA, television outlets cannot publicly
broadcast an opinion or suggest an exit-poll before 10.00pm of that day.
Most people in the UK believe they have 'free speech' and for voters, they do. However,
since a law passed in 1983 that states it is illegal for media companies to sway an election
by discussing possible voting results or giving predictions from 12.30am of election day
until 10.00pm that night.
Most newspapers can slip under the restriction due to their need to print and distribute
before the deadline, so it's only recently that this law has come into the general public's
eye-line.
And you thought the Limeys lived in a free world?!
One can only imagine the frustration the US media would undergo if such a law was
introduced in their country!!
'...On Thursday 8th June, broadcasters – and all media outlets – will stop reporting on any
election campaigns from 12:30am. There will be a weird day of slightly stilted reporting
until the restriction ends at 10pm when polls close.
This will apply to TV and radio and print media. It also extends to all news websites, although
only to newly-published material: old articles don't have to be taken down.
Reports will be restricted to factual accounts of what's going on, and awkward shots of
politicians striding into and out of polling stations to cast their ballots.
Under the 1983 Act it is a criminal offence to publish an opinion or exit poll before the polls
close at 10pm, or even to publicly broadcast a prediction of the results based on an exit poll.
The point of this is that if exit polls revealed a runaway winner, that might affect voters who
still hadn't cast their ballot – messing with the whole democratic process.
Social media is tricky when it comes to making rules. Certainly the broadcasters' official
Facebook and Twitter accounts must steer clear of reporting on the campaigns.
But individual journalists – particularly broadcasters – must also be careful about what they
say on social media. It remains to be seen where the line is drawn on tweeting about the
general election 2017...'
SOURCE:
Edith Head Gives Good Wardrobe.