ABSTRACT
The part played by the newspapers and television in creating, reinforcing and transmitting images of failing schools, poor teachers and disruptive pupils is public and pervasive. Considerable selection and shaping takes place in the presentation of ‘stories’. ‘Objective’ reporting may be the aim of some media outlets, but editorial comment and an expression of the organ’s own standpoint are also relevant aims. Additionally, newspapers and television provide a medium for the expression of views of ‘experts’, social commentators and professional or pressure groups.
