Northern Ireland is a media-saturated society. For a population of only 1.5 million people there are two television stations, local radio, three daily newspapers in Belfast, as well over 40 local newspapers.
In the referendum campaign the media will play a major role, both in reporting the debate and as part of that debate.
Mr Geoff Martin, the editor of the unionist Belfast News Letter, favours the Belfast Agreement. The support of the News Letter, commentators believe, is crucial in selling the agreement to the unionist community.
"We are leading the unionist community because we do not think it is our job to sit on the fence. We have looked at the thing and decided to support it. A lot of our readers have not made that decision. Many unionists are as yet undecided," Mr Martin said.
He does not believe a recent fall in circulation figures reflects an unpopular editorial stance, but does acknowledge that unionism is so fragmented it would be impossible to take any particular line without falling out with somebody.
"I'm an Ulster Prod, brought up in an Ulster Protestant community and I am as good an Ulster Prod as Bob McCartney, Ian Paisley or anyone else, but I think that what is coming out of this is infinitely preferable to to the situation we have had, with the province being governed by civil servants. Now we have the chance to restore a form of democracy," Mr Martin said.
His support for multi-party talks and the agreement shocked and surprised many unionists. It is believed his stance was possible because he was backed by the chief executive of the Mirror Group, Mr David Montgomery, an Ulster Protestant who is close to both Mr David Trimble and the British Prime Minister. The Mirror bought the News Letter last year.
If Mr Martin is speaking to a fragmented and confused community, Mr Tom Collins, the editor of the nationalist Irish News, has a more confident and united readership, which is also reflected in the health of its circulation figures, up nearly 3 per cent to 48,786, according to December 1997 figures.
"The newspaper has two roles. One is to speak to its readership and the other to speak for it. Over the period of the peace process we have shifted from one to another", Mr Collins said.
The Irish News, he says, has tried to make nationalists aware of the compromises necessary to effect change. The fact that Sinn Fein has not supported the agreement is not a problem. "Our reading is that Sinn Fein has pretty much accepted the agreement. It is simply going through a process that ensures that any opposition is dealt with before any vote is taken."
Newspapers, he says, have been closer to the type of consensus politics that is normal in most democratic societies than the politicians have been.
They have become forums for debate. He and Mr Martin have shown, with joint initiatives, that two papers with deep-seated political differences can unite around certain fundamentals.
The consensus of support is complete with the Belfast Telegraph, Northern Ireland's highest-selling daily newspaper. It represents unionism with a small "u" - the nearest Northern Ireland has to a national newspaper, selling to both communities.
In a recent editorial it stated that the agreement was balanced and had the backing of the most respected mainstream parties, "but there is no denying that concessions have been made to reach the broadest possible agreement. In the next three weeks, politicians must be honest about these and acknowledge that the prize of devolution was worth the sacrifice."
For broadcast journalists the question is not about reflecting a community but about impartiality and fairness. Radio and television are crucially important because it is from these outlets that most people get their daily news.
During a general election, coverage is governed by the Representation of the People Act; broadcasters have to allocate the correct proportion of time based on representation in parliament. A referendum is far more complex, with a huge array of parties who will not even share studios with their own side.
Mr Rob Morrison, the head of news and current affairs at UTV, says he is governed by the ITC's guidelines, which insist on the station being "duly impartial".
UTV will have to show it has been impartial over the whole period of the referendum campaign. However, fairness and impartiality are only the start of the broadcasters' problems.
On Wednesday, May 20th Radio Foyle is hosting what will probably be the last major debate of the campaign. It will be broadcast over the Radio Ulster network. According to the head of Radio Foyle, Anna Leddy, provision has had to be made for those who will not share a platform with others. That debate will take place in a university lecture theatre in front of an invited audience. Two other rooms have had to be set aside as studios for those who will not share a platform.
The DUP's Gregory Campbell has already said he will need a separate facility as Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness will be speaking. The situation is complex and balance has to be achieved, not just between the Yes and No sides, but within each stance. Mr Trimble believes the agreement will strengthen the union. Mr John Hume believes that crossborder bodies will increase links North and South. Both views have to be broadcast.
Dissident unionist MPs, calling for a No vote, are hardly likely to sit in the same studio as Republican Sinn Fein or the 32-County Sovereignty Campaign, which are also calling for a No vote.