My initial response was cynicism. But on second thoughts, and after having read Tony Blair’s speech to Reuters, I realise he makes a point that needs making.
I agree with his analysis.
Digital technology has allowed for 24 hour news coverage, and the internet has intensified competition between newspapers in a declining market. These changes over the last 10 years have brought about a change in reporting that marks a significant break with the past. More reactionary reporting with less emphasis on the facts and more on the meaning, despite this being opinion based, is the result. Not that this is anyone’s fault, but rather the inevitable response of the media to market changes.
Although he admits New Labour’s complicity in the media’s response to these changes, Blair argues that the shift has made the job of governing far more difficult than 10 years ago.
That said, Blair is short on solutions. But here’s one: Perhaps we could cut the BBC’s funding, and pass the money saved on to private channels that excel in a particular genre. One genre backed up by BBC incentives could be news reporting. Perhaps this would be enough to encourage more cautious reporting without having to introduce a tougher legal framework?
