Independent Media | Campaigning Journalism
Channel 4 anchor comes clean, blames the media for a ‘slogan dominated’ election
Channel 4 News anchor Krishnan Guru-Murthy has come clean about the media’s role in a “slogan dominated” election. Guru-Murthy said that the media isn’t sufficiently holding politicians to account:
The reason they get away with their current accountability-light campaigning is partly because the media facilitates it. 2/5
— Krishnan Guru-Murthy (@krishgm) April 28, 2017
The Channel 4 presenter was talking about ending a “slogan-dominated” election. And he took aim at the media for facilitating the downfall of debate.
Guru-Murthy began by asking his Twitter followers whether they wanted an end to the sloganeering. People responded as we’d expect: almost 100% in favour of proper discussion.
Yes. The slogans mean nothing without substance. May's 'strong and stable' doesn't reflect the Tories actual record. This needs highlighting
— Becca Miller (@SparklyB) April 28, 2017
Here’s Guru-Murthy’s proposal in full:
Channel 4 News Anchor, @krishgm, has a proposal. Here it is. Retweet it if you agree with him……. pic.twitter.com/70XvL7tpTc
— Tory Fibs (@ToryFibs) April 28, 2017
Broken record
An audience member summed up the endless broken record of “strong and stable” on BBC Question Time. The audience member said he’d bet his wife £10 that Work and Pensions Secretary Damian Green would say “coalition of chaos” and “strong and stable government” during his first contribution. It might be the easiest £10 he’s ever earned.
The media’s role in the downfall of debate is clear. The BBC, for example, reported Boris Johnson calling Jeremy Corbyn a “mugwump” as a “scathing attack”. This encourages a personality-led election.
Stage-managed
The Prime Minister, meanwhile, is trying to minimise accountability in this election. Her strategists have heavily stage-managed her campaign so far. On 27 April, the Conservative team booked out a Leeds workplace to make it appear that May was addressing ordinary working locals. In reality, she was talking to about 150 party faithfuls brought in to what was a private event.
Local Labour MP Richard Burgon commented:
like a medieval monarch, she simply briefly relocated her travelling court of admirers to town and then moved on without so much as a nod to the people she considers to be her lowly subjects
And even in a carefully orchestrated environment, May couldn’t remember where she was:
She has no idea where she is. Literally pic.twitter.com/m4EN3CN5F0
— Ross Crombie (@RossCrombie) April 27, 2017
The Conservatives want to make this election all about Brexit. But it’s unclear how the Prime Minister will negotiate a post-Brexit deal, when she cannot even negotiate with a member of the public off-script.
It’s imperative that the media hold her to account on this. At present, Guru-Murthy has admitted the press is letting us down. Now, it must make sure that policies, rather than personalities and slogans, prevail in this election.
Get Involved!
– Register to vote in the 8 June general election. If you don’t have a national insurance number, a 5 minute phone call on 0300 200 3500 will get it sent to you in ten days.
– Discuss the key policy issues with family members, colleagues and neighbours. And organise! Join (and participate in the activities of) a union, an activist group, and/or a political party.
– Also read more Canary articles on the 2017 general election.
Featured image via Chatham House
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