Due impartiality: Politicians presenting programmes

Ofcom require qualitative research to explore current attitudes towards programmes presented by politicians. The objectives of the research will look at:

• Audiences' understanding of the characteristics of news and current affairs programmes audience expectations of due impartiality across a range of programming
• Expectations of due impartiality when programmes are presented by serving and non-serving politicians, as well as the leader of a political party
• Understanding whether certain factors cause expectations of due impartiality to vary in relation of current affairs
• Whether audiences' trust is impacted by the fact that politicians are presenting current affairs programmes, when impact (if any) does it have in trust/ confidence in broadcast news and current affairs
• Audience views on whether the rule restricting politicians from presenting news should be extended to current affairs.
• Do audiences have different views on the politicians taking a role as interviewers and reporters, as opposed to presenters, in current affairs programmes
• The benefits audiences and wider society see from politicians presenting current affairs

This research will be explored with audiences aged 18+ conducted across all four nations, with a mixture of central and non-central areas that will also cover a diverse range of people.