This research project looks at how the 2014 Scottish independence referendum was represented on Scottish television channels.
On 18 September 2014, the Scottish electorate answered a fundamental question about the future of the UK and Scotland: the referendum on whether Scotland would become an independent state or remain a part of the UK had a major impact on the relationship between the nations that make up Britain. It was a significant political event, closely followed by international observers.
As with any contested issue, the definition of what this referendum was about was negotiated between political and social groups, debated in the media and deliberated by voters. Was the referendum a competition between political opponents fighting for the vote? Was it a matter of identity (shared or distinctive)? Was it a matter of economic survival and growth?
This research examines how Scottish television news and current affairs coverage answered these questions.