The UK Unionist leader, Mr Bob McCartney, has disclosed the details of a survey which he says shows the media are biased in favour of the Belfast Agreement and are denying coverage to No campaigners.
Mr McCartney gave The Irish Times details of a survey he commissioned by media experts in Britain to monitor coverage of the referendum campaigns by the BBC, Ulster Television, and the three main Northern newspapers - the Belfast Telegraph, the Irish News, and the Newsletter.
According to the survey, the media in the North allocated 70 per cent of its referendum coverage to Yes campaigners and 30 per cent to the No side. The research concentrates on newspapers and certain news programmes from April 20th-24th.
It claims the BBC gave 68 per cent coverage to Yes and 32 per cent to No campaigners. The figure for Ulster Television is even more extreme - 72 per cent and 28 per cent respectively, according to the survey.
Of the three Northern newspapers, the Belfast Telegraph gave 78 per cent of its space to Yes campaigners, the survey claimed. It was followed closely by the Irish News which devoted 74 per cent of its coverage to those supporting the Belfast Agreement. The Newsletter appears to have offered the most balanced coverage with 44 per cent of its coverage centring on the No campaign, according to the survey.
Mr McCartney said the results showed that the media in the North was "operating a clear political agenda in favour of the agreement and is attempting to marginalise and isolate those who are against the deal".
He said he would be raising the issue with the relevant newspaper editors and broadcasting managers.
The UK Unionist Party held a special conference in Belfast at the weekend to discuss the Belfast Agreement. Mr McCartney accused the Ulster Unionist leadership of "lying" when it claimed the Union was safe and he said Sinn Fein statements that it was weakened were correct.