RSS Feed

In the Red-Top Corner…

It’s no longer about Coulson. Chris Bryant on Sky News described the ongoing saga about Andy Coulson’s role in Downing St and his alleged part in any “phone hacking”* as a “sideshow”. Instead, the story is now all newspapers and whether they’ve been involved in similar conduct. Guido Fawkes has got stuck-in in customary fashion with a few comparisons, and much coverage has been given to Tom Watson’s statement that Parliament has been “afraid” of the media.

Few would dispute that politicians have often pandered to the media, but that question is hardly new and has been debated for years. Journalists would no doubt argue that they write what will sell, and are an extension of the public. They both keep the public informed and exert pressure where they think the public wants pressure. Politicians would argue that the effect of journalists writing what will sell leads to malpractice and a single-minded obsession with “getting the story”. This in turn leads to highly selective reporting at the whim of the editor and misrepresentation of facts.

Of course politicians are “afraid” of the media – they can make or destroy a political career. The famous Blair request for “eye-catching initiatives” suggests a close and dangerous relationship between politicians and the papers. The “spin machines” of Westminster have often courted the papers to try and portray parties in a favourable light or slam opposition. Yet although the papers have been happy to grab the extra information, a good story may out-rank a source, hence the coverage given to the expenses scandal.

So here’s a thought. Political parties have often tried to woo the papers, with little reciprocation from the media. With Labour’s own PR machine effectively out of action until the leadership election, perhaps this all amounts to a bit of revenge. MPs have had enough, and now is a rare opportunity for a bit of payback. Where a fight between media and politicians leads is anybody’s guess, but if the story continues I wouldn’t expect the news cycle to be a quiet one in a few months time.

 

*Technically, it’s not hacking. Or tapping. See this handy post on Dizzy for a bit more detail.

Leave a Reply