Abstract
Strikes or direct industrial action of various kinds have become one of the most contentious issues of contemporary public debate. If the attitudes of the general public are indeed influenced by the media's interpretation of the industrial relations situation, as many critics of the media would contend, then it is crucial to the understanding of the broader concept of political socialisation to determine first what kind of industrial news is made available. Is there, in fact, a consistent bias to be found in the reporting of industrial events? If so, what are the specific dimensions of this bias and why does it occur? In this article the author seeks to confront these questions by providing a summary of a particular industrial dispute and its coverage by two Australian newspapers. Preceding this case study, brief consideration is also given to some recent developments in the field of communications research.
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