The tabloidisation of politicsLecture 8

The Vicious Circle

Politicians Spin

Public Cynical

JournalistsSpin

33

Media Consumption: Influencers vs. General Population

Influencers are voracious consumers of media

They put more emphasis on person-to-person channels

They are big fans of national newspapers and talk radio

Media Usage: Gen. Pop vs Influencers

4%

8%

13%

14%

17%

23%

30%

31%

35%

53%

53%

63%

64%

68%

12%

18%

13%

23%

32%

26%

48%

51%

51%

63%

67%

70%

78%

73%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Business magazine

News magazine

Celebrity endorsement

Trade magazine or newsletter

Product review in consumer magazines

Consumer magazines

Talk radio

Advice from co- workers

Cable/satellite network news

Advice from family/ friends

National newspapers

Regional television news

Major network television news

Local newspaper

I nfluencers

Gen Pop

44

Influencers are using new media channels and devices at twice the rate of GP

They have embraced new mediums such as podcasts and videocasts

They are much more interested in blogs than GP

PR Implication: Rethink the methods used to reach them

Media Usage: Gen. Pop vs Influencers

3%

3%

5%

7%

8%

9%

9%

11%

13%

16%

10%

12%

8%

19%

19%

23%

19%

23%

0% 20% 40%

Blogs written by MPs

Virtual communities

Company sponsoredblast email

Mobile media

Podcasts

Videocast/webcast

J ournalist blogs

RSS news feed

Non- journalist blogs

I nfluencers

Gen Pop

Media Consumption: Influencers vs. General Population

55

First Choice for News and Information Sources: Influencers vs. GP

Just like consumers state-side, most in the U.K. turn first to television and the Internet to get information, but Influencers elaborate on TV news!

Sources the U.K. Turns to First

1%

1%

2%

6%

11%

36%

44%

0%

0%

2%

11%

10%

42%

36%

0% 20% 40% 60%

Other

Mobile media

Friends/ family

Radio

Newspapers

Internet

Television

I nfluencers

Gen Pop

But: what the people watch

The impact upon politics News competes with other genres News focuses on key frames

Conflict Personal lives Mistakes

Journalists are adversarial Rise of the Rottweiler (Barnett)

Political Information is marginalised Politics is dramatised / but drama can be politicised

Relocating Politics Politics moves into other genres

Real-life TV The bear-pit Comedy Drama

But what images are constructed for us?

Cultivation theory (Gerbner & Gross, 1976)

Blockbuster Democracy Joe Mathews ‘The People's Machine’ 2006 Political attitudes & perceptions shaped more

by movies, pop culture than politics Result is a merger in style of communication /

presentation The rise and success of the celebrity politician

Cultivation Theory Revisited What do we learn about politics?

And our perception of politicians?

Possible Effects Politics is viewed as part of popular culture Politicians are ‘emotionalised’ Politics/Politicians not taken seriously Politics is not seen as important Politicians are seen as idiotic

The dumbing down of politics Public are not informed properly Politicians talk in simple soundbites Debate is stifled Media malaise Cynicism in politics

But whose fault is it??

In defence of dumbing down Makes politics more accessible Makes politics interesting The disengaged are more aware of policy

making(see work of Michael Temple)

Thoughts Is there evidence all media dumb down? Is there evidence media compete with other

genres when presenting information? Is dumbing down good or bad? Based on your conclusion, how should

politicians promote themselves?