Edstone to Trump:Politics & Journalism In Crisis

Prof Charlie Beckett

GV311 2017

What does journalism do for politics?

• Information [facts, records, statistics, events,

policies]• Deliberation [debate, analysis, comment, opinion]• Accountability [investigation, audit, voice for

citizen, campaigns]

Politicians

News Media

Public

Political reporting is now networked

Media

Politicians

Networked political journalism is..

• Mainstream or digital native media ‘exploiting’ networks

• ‘Digital first’: Connected, continuous• Includes public participation at some point:

source, interactivity, audience analysis, dissemination

• Multi-source, multi-format, multi-platform• Service, not product

Examples of networked political journalism

Build your own coalition

What digital can for democracy

• More information• Citizen voice and

participation• Media accountability• Direct communication

(disintermediation)• Organisation &

campaigning

What digital can for democracy

• More information• Citizen voice and

participation• Media accountability• Direct communication

(disintermediation)• Organisation &

campaigning

• Over abundance of data and voice

• Replicates hierarchies• Homophily (filter

bubbles)• Fragmentation and

polarisation• Distraction, extremism,

clicktavism

#EdStone

Trust in media: relative to platform, source, country

Real problem is lack of engagement, attention & authenticity

Corbyn’s solution: bypass MSM

Labour’s ratings have declined under Corbyn to record post-war low

Labour supporters don’t even back him for PM

blog.sysomos.com/(2015)

• Orange = Corbyn critics• Red = centre Left, neutral or supportive• Purple = broad debate• Blue = Corbynistas

Trump’s media by-pass

Attacking journalists’ tweets

Platforms now increasingly shape political information flows

Journalists have lost control (to platforms)

Some politicians have lost control

Post-truth?

• Is ‘Post truth’ actually simply the failure of Establishment to recognise challenging views?

• There is ‘fake news’ but has it now also come to mean ‘news I disagree with’?

• What should mainstream news media & politics do to regain relevance – but not control?

Polis blog

@CharlieBeckett