Chapter 9 - Politics UK

Chapter Summary

The spoken voice was the main form of political communication until the spread of newspapers in the nineteenth century. Broadcasting introduced a revolution into the way politics is conducted as its spread is instant and its influence so great. New political actors have emerged specialising in the media, and politicians have learned to master their techniques. Press news values tend to influence television also, but the latter is more vulnerable to political pressure than the already politicised press. Class dominance theories suggest that the media are no more than an instrument of the ruling class, but there is reason to believe that they exercise considerable independence and are not incompatible with democracy.

Learning Objectives

To explain the workings of the media: press and broadcasting.
To encourage an understanding of how the media interact and influence voting, elections and the rest of the political system.
To explain the significance of the new social/digital media.
To discuss how the pluralist and Marxist dominance theories seek to explain how the media operate and influence society.

Quizzes

Test your knowledge with the Chapter 9 quizzes!

Quiz

Discussion Questions

To what extent does the decline of trust in traditional media (such as newspapers and television) affect democracy in the UK? Consider the role of social media, political bias, and public trust in your response.
How has the decline in newspaper circulation and the rise of digital media changed the way political messages are communicated to the public? Does this shift strengthen or weaken political engagement?

Weblinks

The Telegraph, The Independent, The Times, The Guardian – Leading UK newspapers providing political coverage and analysis.

UK Media Internet Directory: Newspapers: www.mcc.ac.uk/jcridlan.htm

BBC – The UK’s national broadcaster offering news, analysis, and public service programming. (www.bbc.co.uk)

ITN – A major UK television news provider. (www.itn.co.uk)

CNN – A global news network covering international and UK politics. (www.cnn.com)

Samizdata – A libertarian blog discussing political and economic issues. (http://samizdata.net/blog/)

Huffington Post UK – A news website offering opinion pieces and political commentary. (www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)

The Daily Beast – A US-based news site with coverage of UK and global politics. (www.thedailybeast.com)

British Politics and Policy at LSE – An academic blog analyzing UK policy and governance. (https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/)

Flashcards

Refresh your knowledge of key terms with this chapter’s flashcards.

Tabloids

small-format newspapers, usually aimed at the bottom end of the market with an informal style, use of large and often sensational headlines and many photographs.

Press Barons

newspaper proprietors who have been raised to the peerage either out of gratitude for services rendered to the governing party or because of the hope that they will omit to bite the hand that feeds them.

Industrial Revolution

the period in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries when mass production techniques were invented and introduced into what became known as factories.

Fake News

the deliberate propagation of untrue news stories designed either to advance or to harm a cause. New media have made such stories easier to create and disseminate.

Broadsheets

large-format newspapers, which aim at the better-educated and more affluent readers, with a particular interest in influencing the opinion-formers.

Media

the collective name for the press, radio and television. Sometimes called the ‘Fourth Estate’ to represent its powerful position in the political system.

Spin Doctor

a party official or public relations consultant whose job is to influence the media and put the best possible construction on events, by getting the party or candidate’s message over by any possible means.