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Where do you stand? What does it mean to be a journalist? What is the point of journalism? Who are journalists responsible to? What forms should/could journalism take?

What does it mean to be a journalist?

What is the point of journalism?

Who are journalists responsible to?

What forms should/could journalism take?

The Flat Earth effect The news factory and churnalism Lament about contemporary journalism Impact on public awareness/engagement/opinion Sets the shape of news landscape Shapes public awareness of issues

The news factory and churnalism

Lament about contemporary journalism

Impact on public awareness/engagement/opinion

Sets the shape of news landscape

Shapes public awareness of issues

The Flat Earth effect The journalist as mediator of public knowledge Journalist as conduit of public opinion Journalism crucial to democracy?

The journalist as mediator of public knowledge

Journalist as conduit of public opinion

Journalism crucial to democracy?

Evidence for Flat Earth News: Justin Lewis, Andrew Williams & Bob Franklin, 2008, ‘Four Rumours and an Explanation: A political economic account of journalists’ changing newsgathering and reporting practices’, Journalism Practice , Vol 2, No 1. Justin Lewis, Andrew Williams, Bob Franklin, James Thomas and Nick Mosdell, 2006, The Quality and Independence of British Journalism , commissioned report for the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust

Justin Lewis, Andrew Williams & Bob Franklin, 2008, ‘Four Rumours and an Explanation: A political economic account of journalists’ changing newsgathering and reporting practices’, Journalism Practice , Vol 2, No 1.

Justin Lewis, Andrew Williams, Bob Franklin, James Thomas and Nick Mosdell, 2006, The Quality and Independence of British Journalism , commissioned report for the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust

The construction of the political public Where are the ancient Greeks? The polis : open to free citizens Jürgen Habermas – The public sphere “ a realm of our social life in which something approaching public opinion can be formed”

Where are the ancient Greeks?

The polis : open to free citizens

Jürgen Habermas – The public sphere

“ a realm of our social life in which something approaching public opinion can be formed”

An operational public sphere requires… A knowable civic authority A gathering of rational individuals A means of communicating public opinion to the civic authority Journalists and media act as ‘public organs’

A knowable civic authority

A gathering of rational individuals

A means of communicating public opinion to the civic authority

Journalists and media act as ‘public organs’

One way of representing the public in the media… The public inquisitor: the (wo)man for the people? Kirsty Wark John Humphrys Jeremy Paxman Jon Snow

The public inquisitor: the (wo)man for the people?

Kirsty Wark

John Humphrys

Jeremy Paxman

Jon Snow

The Public Inquisitor Acts on behalf of the media institution Acts on behalf of the public at large Carries “celebrity” cache Have come to act as social commentators Paxman versus Howard May 13 th 1997

Acts on behalf of the media institution

Acts on behalf of the public at large

Carries “celebrity” cache

Have come to act as social commentators

A question of balance… Broadcast news content required to demonstrate ‘due impartiality’ under Section 5 of the Ofcom Broadcasting Code Davies claims this pursuit of balance dilutes news and acts as a ‘coward’s compromise’ (2008: 133) 61% of public think the BBC should be free to hold political views ( Guardian / ICM 2009)

Broadcast news content required to demonstrate ‘due impartiality’ under Section 5 of the Ofcom Broadcasting Code

Davies claims this pursuit of balance dilutes news and acts as a ‘coward’s compromise’ (2008: 133)

61% of public think the BBC should be free to hold political views ( Guardian / ICM 2009)

Due impartiality Impartiality itself means not favouring one side over another. “ Due” means adequate or appropriate to the subject and nature of the programme. Helps deflect over-emphasis on extreme minority groups

Impartiality itself means not favouring one side over another.

“ Due” means adequate or appropriate to the subject and nature of the programme.

Helps deflect over-emphasis on extreme minority groups

Another way of representing the public in the media… The political public in action … BBC’s Question Time

The political public in action … BBC’s Question Time

The arrangement of Question Time as an instrument of democratic debate The panel as representatives of positions across the “political spectrum” The audience as representatives of public interest and concern

The panel as representatives of positions across the “political spectrum”

The audience as representatives of public interest and concern

The discursive management of Question Time Chairperson and production team act as agenda setters and arbiters of legitimacy and truth Chair adjudicates on the extent and suitability of panel responses Chair adjudicates on admissibility of audience questions according to the established agenda

Chairperson and production team act as agenda setters and arbiters of legitimacy and truth

Chair adjudicates on the extent and suitability of panel responses

Chair adjudicates on admissibility of audience questions according to the established agenda

The public sphere and media conduct To what extent does participation in the public sphere empower both journalists and other citizens? Should our treatment of individuals be on the basis of their being rational subjects or their being naïve, potential victims of media/journalistic expertise? Does this form of engagement qualify as journalism/news? Should journalism be rational, emotional or opinionated?

To what extent does participation in the public sphere empower both journalists and other citizens?

Should our treatment of individuals be on the basis of their being rational subjects or their being naïve, potential victims of media/journalistic expertise?

Does this form of engagement qualify as journalism/news?

Should journalism be rational, emotional or opinionated?

Some points to consider Televised election? BNP on Question Time (October 22 nd )? What is the public interest here? What format should these event take? How should balance be handled?

Televised election?

BNP on Question Time (October 22 nd )?

What is the public interest here?

What format should these event take?

How should balance be handled?

Direct public engagement Guardian/Trafigura/Farrelly gagging order (Oct 12 2009)

Guardian/Trafigura/Farrelly gagging order (Oct 12 2009)

Direct public engagement Streisand effect – networked amplification

Streisand effect – networked amplification

Real time news

Real time news

Real time news

Hyper-local public spheres ?

Variants: The popular public sphere The public sphere operates as a component of the formal political realm The participatory element of the public sphere can be used in other media contexts

The public sphere operates as a component of the formal political realm

The participatory element of the public sphere can be used in other media contexts

The media and participation Media principles and ethics founded on the basis of a particular form of ‘public’ Participation (interaction) has become a selling point in itself, recasting the public as consumers The emerging participatory sphere therefore meets the need of the media

Media principles and ethics founded on the basis of a particular form of ‘public’

Participation (interaction) has become a selling point in itself, recasting the public as consumers

The emerging participatory sphere therefore meets the need of the media

The Media Sphere “ Through a combination of the market and audience demand, the media becomes a space for public participation and discussion outside of the political realm, which nonetheless has political and cultural consequences” John Hartley (1996) Popular journalism for the term ‘media sphere’ itself

“ Through a combination of the market and audience demand, the media becomes a space for public participation and discussion outside of the political realm, which nonetheless has political and cultural consequences”

John Hartley (1996) Popular journalism for the term ‘media sphere’ itself

The reaction of the theorists Serious political insight requires we look at popular culture as well as high culture Post-Gramsci (The Prison Notebooks , 1971)

Serious political insight requires we look at popular culture as well as high culture

Post-Gramsci (The Prison Notebooks , 1971)

Forms of participation The telethon (Children in Need, Live 8) The telephone vote (Big Brother, I’m a Celebrity) The radio phone-in (Radio 5 Live) The talk show: Public discussion (Kilroy, Donaghue, Vanessa’s Real Lives) Therapeutic (Oprah) Conflict (Jerry Springer)

The telethon (Children in Need, Live 8)

The telephone vote (Big Brother, I’m a Celebrity)

The radio phone-in (Radio 5 Live)

The talk show:

Public discussion (Kilroy, Donaghue, Vanessa’s Real Lives)

Therapeutic (Oprah)

Conflict (Jerry Springer)

The “Popular” Public – Nightmares with Trisha and Jerry

The “Popular” Public – Nightmares with Trisha and Jerry “ Western man has become a confessing animal” Michel Foucault, The History of Sexuality , Volume 1, p. 59

“ Western man has become a confessing animal”

Michel Foucault, The History of Sexuality , Volume 1, p. 59

The “Popular Public – Nightmares with Trisha and Jerry Confession is a means of reproducing moral subjects. Sex has become part of a moral discourse. Confession has moved from the private realm to public spectacle.

Confession is a means of reproducing moral subjects.

Sex has become part of a moral discourse.

Confession has moved from the private realm to public spectacle.

The “Popular” Public – expertise, management and power Jürgen Habermas (1987) The philosophical discourse of modernity : There has emerged a historically constructed division between “common knowledge” and “scientific rationality”. Accordingly, within popular forms of discourse, scientific or rational forms are sustained through recourse to authority.

Jürgen Habermas (1987) The philosophical discourse of modernity :

There has emerged a historically constructed division between “common knowledge” and “scientific rationality”.

Accordingly, within popular forms of discourse, scientific or rational forms are sustained through recourse to authority.

The “Popular” Public – expertise, management and power Livingstone and Lunt (1994) Talk on television Popular discussion shows have situated these forms of knowledge together, presenting them (inappropriately) as having an equal claim to legitimacy.

Livingstone and Lunt (1994) Talk on television

Popular discussion shows have situated these forms of knowledge together, presenting them (inappropriately) as having an equal claim to legitimacy.

The “Popular” Public – expertise, management and power Speakers invited to contribute within the frame of an editorial narrative. Questioning of speakers seeks to contain them within an established agenda, and seeks to encourage them to contribute to that agenda.

Speakers invited to contribute within the frame of an editorial narrative.

Questioning of speakers seeks to contain them within an established agenda, and seeks to encourage them to contribute to that agenda.

The “Popular” Public – expertise, management and power The place of speakers on the floor is protected by the host. Speakers are invited to speak on behalf of institutions and disciplines, but their contributions are summarised misrepresented and placed in conflict with the available “lay” discourses.

The place of speakers on the floor is protected by the host.

Speakers are invited to speak on behalf of institutions and disciplines, but their contributions are summarised misrepresented and placed in conflict with the available “lay” discourses.

A new ethics of the “popular” The emergence of an alternative frame of public service The stress on emotionality and therapeutic forms Peter Lunt and Paul Stenner (2005) “The Jerry Springer Show as an emotional public sphere”, Media, Culture & Society 27(1): 59-81.

The emergence of an alternative frame of public service

The stress on emotionality and therapeutic forms

Peter Lunt and Paul Stenner (2005) “The Jerry Springer Show as an emotional public sphere”, Media, Culture & Society 27(1): 59-81.

Questions Are talk shows sufficiently free from institutional control to serve as a space where public opinion can be formed? Do they provide freedom of access and voice to the public? Are they constituted on the grounds of a rational disinterested populace seeking consensus? Does this qualify as journalism?

Are talk shows sufficiently free from institutional control to serve as a space where public opinion can be formed?

Do they provide freedom of access and voice to the public?

Are they constituted on the grounds of a rational disinterested populace seeking consensus?

Does this qualify as journalism?

The “Popular” Public – discussion points Is the popular public participation programme a legitimate form of public sphere? Is the emphasis on programmes such as Trisha on spectacle and televisuality rather than constructive and informative discussion? Discuss the political and cultural implications of the forms of subjectivity generated in programmes such as Springer and Trisha .

Is the popular public participation programme a legitimate form of public sphere?

Is the emphasis on programmes such as Trisha on spectacle and televisuality rather than constructive and informative discussion?

Discuss the political and cultural implications of the forms of subjectivity generated in programmes such as Springer and Trisha .