A significant proportion of Welsh voters are entering a crucial election cycle fundamentally misinformed about which government is responsible for their public services, a confusion that a major academic report lays squarely at the door of UK-wide media outlets failing to clearly report on devolved issues.
The comprehensive study from Cardiff University, which analysed over 3,000 news items, found repeated and systemic failures in reporting that blurred the lines between English and Welsh policymaking. The lead researcher, Professor Stephen Cushion, stated that such reporting neglects audiences’ constitutional needs, creating a “huge communication issue” that matters for democratic accountability.
The evidence of unclear reporting
The research identified consistent patterns across broadcasters like the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, and Sky News. These included widespread references to “the government” instead of “the UK government”, and the use of “you” and “your” in contexts that apply only to people in England. The study found 73% of these outlets’ social media posts did not clarify a story’s relevance to specific UK nations, a figure that was 57% for TV news items and 35% for online articles.
Professor Cushion gave tangible examples, such as coverage of junior doctors’ strikes or educational reforms like T-levels, where UK-wide reports often discuss changes without specifying they apply only in England. “Stuff being reported in England is seen by viewers as being at a UK level,” he said.
How this translates to voter confusion
This media inaccuracy has contributed to deep and widespread uncertainty in Wales about what is devolved, 26 years after the process began with the Government of Wales Act 1998. A representative YouGov poll of 1,544 people, conducted alongside the news analysis, revealed that one-third of respondents still did not know health and education are devolved to the Welsh Government.
Only 1% could correctly identify whether Cardiff Bay or Westminster was responsible for eight different policy areas. For instance, nearly seven in ten people were incorrect or unsure about policing—a power reserved to Westminster—with 45% mistakenly believing it was devolved. Just 7% knew that the upcoming Senedd election will be held under a new closed list system.
The contrast with Scotland is stark. Similar polling there in 2021 revealed higher levels of understanding of devolved powers, which Professor Cushion attributes to Scotland’s “healthier media environment”. A 2023 study noted that BBC Scotland, for example, was twice as likely to politicise negative reporting and platform opposition voices criticising the devolved government compared to BBC Wales’ approach.
Reliance on UK media and consequences for the ballot box
Compounding the problem is the reliance of Welsh voters on the very outlets producing this unclear coverage. The report found 46% of respondents relied on UK-wide news most often, compared to only 10% who mainly used Wales-produced news. This reliance split along political lines: 60% of Reform UK voters said they mostly used UK news sources, the highest proportion of any party’s supporters.
Professor Cushion warned this directly impacts how people vote. “It could be the case that people are casting their vote on issues that affect England, because campaign events in England, and involving the Nigel Farage v Keir Starmer dynamic in particular, get more coverage,” he said. Reform UK has indeed framed the Senedd elections as a “referendum on Keir Starmer’s premiership,” promoting policies like scrapping the 20mph speed limit.
The consequence, the research suggests, is an electorate potentially making choices based on issues over which the Senedd has no power, while remaining unclear on the substantial powers it does wield in areas like health, education, and the environment. This occurs despite growing public support for the devolved institution over the past 25 years, with fewer than one in five of the Welsh electorate now stating they would vote against a Senedd.
Some Welsh broadcasters are planning focused election coverage. BBC Cymru Wales has announced comprehensive plans for 2026, including debates and social media explainers, while S4C will provide multi-platform coverage and partner with BBC Wales for a leaders’ debate. However, the extent to which UK-wide outlets will improve their signposting remains an open question. A 2022 Ofcom-commissioned study co-authored by Professor Cushion found that while UK network news had improved coverage of devolved issues, opportunities to compare and explain decisions made by different governments were often missed, a challenge editors acknowledged during the pandemic.
