Politics and journalism in crisis: from Edstone to Trump tweets 2017
Transcript of Politics and journalism in crisis: from Edstone to Trump tweets 2017
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