What happens to mainstream political journalism when it becomes more networked? We are often told that something has gone wrong with the reporting of politics in democracies like the UK. But can new forms of journalism supplemented by social media and citizen input help revive its function as the way that we find out about and debate political ideas and policies? This lecture tries to show how in the UK and US there are now opportunities for better and more democratic journalism around politics. However, the role of public relations or spin and the failure of journalists to be critical and informed enough, means that the public is not getting the democratic benefit. This lecture looks at the case of the Nick Clegg 'Sorry' video and the Mother Jones story about Mitt Romney's secret 47% speech.

1. Political (networked) Journalism
Prof Charlie Beckett
MC417 2014

2. Media for democracy
• “…the information revolution makes possible for
the first time in history something we have only
dreamt about: A global society where people
anywhere and everywhere can discover their
shared values, communicate with each other and
do not need to meet or live next door to each
other to join together with people in other
countries in a single moral universe to bring
about change….”
• Gordon Brown 2008

3. Media against democracy
• “It used to be thought – and I include myself
in this – that help was on the horizon. New
forms of communication would provide new
outlets to by-pass the increasingly shrill tenor
of traditional media. In fact, the new forms
can be even more pernicious, less balanced,
more intent on the latest conspiracy theory
multiplied by five”
• Tony Blair Reuters ‘feral beasts’ speech 2007

4. What does journalism do for politics?
• Information
[facts, records, statistics, events,
policies]
• Deliberation
[debate, analysis, comment, opinion]
• Accountability
[investigation, audit, voice for
citizen, campaigns]

5. The (politician’s) problem with
political journalism is..?
• Unaccountable power
• Bias
• Obsession with process
• Cynicism
• Lack of information
• Lack of expertise
• Loss of local press

6. The (journalist’s) problem with
political journalism is..?
• Lack of resources for (political) journalism
• Government secrecy
• Government and party spin and manipulation
• Disintermediation: increased role of social
networks & public relations

7. The (public’s) problem with
political journalism is..?
• Too complicated
• Too cynical
• Too belligerent, biased
• Too much process
• Boring
• Irrelevant – ‘Westminster
bubble’
• Too simplistic
• Not critical enough
• Too complicit – not critical
or radical enough
• Sensationalist
• Not informed enough about
realities of policy-making

8. Press power?

9. PR power?

10. LoL

11. Leveson’s verdict
• Politicians “developed too close a relationship
with the Press in a way which has not been in
the public interest’
• Regular political journalism was "in robust
good health and performing the vital public
interest functions in a vigorous democracy,"

12. Politicians
News
Media
Public

13. Political reporting is now networked
Media
Politicians
Citizens

15. Democratisation?

17. The song

20. 47%: Citizen + journalist =
transparency

21. More democratic?
“Journalism will continue to become more plural
in its forms, its functions, and its practitioners.
It will become more difficult to distinguish it
from advocacy political communications,
public relations alternative and participatory
civic information, personal commentary,
poplar culture and so on”
Dahlgren 2009

22. The real problem
for mainstream
politics and
journalism is
engagement,
attention &
authenticity

23. Media and Democracy
Prof Charlie Beckett
MC417 2014