power without responsibility (jn 500) print journalism: history and issues case study: 1984-85...

Power Without Responsibility (JN 500)

Print Journalism: History and Issues

Case study: 1984-85 Miners’ Strike

Lecture Outline

1. Newspaper History

2. Setting the News Agenda

3. A Partisan Press

4. Quality - Tabloids and Broadsheets

5. Future of Newspapers?

6. 1984-85 Miners’ Strike


Tradition (since latter part of 19thC) of mass-market press, funded by advertising.

Post war generally saw greater degrees of press autonomy and less direct proprietor influence – example of Lord Thomson’s ownership of The Times. Period also saw rise of more specialist reporters.

“… the national press came to reflect the post-1945 political consensus in favour of welfare protection, state economic intervention and social unity” (Curran & Seaton 2010, p.68).


Left-of-centre newspapers – the News Chronicle and Daily Herald closed in the 1960s despite reasonable circulation levels. Daily Herald had circulation of 1.265 mln when closed – more than five times circulation of The Times (Curran & Seaton 2010, p. 84).

Late 1960s saw Rupert Murdoch buy News of the World (1968) and the Sun (1969) (more in week 8).

Late 1970s saw Conservatives move further to the right – mobilising against trade union power, welfare state, and tackling inflation.

Press also shifted right (Sun in 1974 moved from Labour support to Conservatives) although Daily Mirror continued to support Labour.


Generally strong support from press for Thatcher governments from 1979 – Euro-scepticism, privatisation, Falklands War, etc.


Thatcher promoted neo-liberal economic policies.

Neo-liberalism is a political and ideological project broadly defined by: A confidence in the market as efficient mechanism for

allocation of scarce resources; A belief in global regime of free trade and capital mobility; The creation of independent national reserve banks and

tight control of money supply through interest rates; A belief in limiting role of the State to facilitating market

mechanisms; A belief in labour-market flexibility, removal of welfare

benefits, and use of private finance in public projects.


1986 – Movement of News International newspapers to Wapping (more in weeks 8 and 9!) marked death of Fleet Street tradition.

1986 – Eddie Shah launched new titles, Today and Sunday Today, but they failed after computer, production and distribution problems.

1986 – Successful launch of the Independent – by 1987 it had circulation of over 300,000.

1987 – Unsuccessful launch of News on Sunday – left wing newspaper, partly funded by trade unions.


Newspapers not simple recorders of society - they have always been active agents in political change, economic development and social formation.

Newspapers still important site of political and public conversation between the subjects of the news, the readers, journalists and commentators, and the newspaper itself: editorials,‘op-ed’ articles, letters to the editor, single-issue crusades by newspapers.


Newspapers important because they still perform important function of setting the news agenda for the day.

This emphasises that news is not autonomously generated by different news outlets but news production is reliant on other news coverage, at least to give direction about stories of the day.


While we have seen a decline in investigative journalism, quality newspapers have become more interpretative – more journalist-pundits or political commentators, op-ed pieces – attempt to differentiate themselves from the short news bulletins of television and radio.

In this way, newspapers seek to not only set the agenda – determining which news stories are covered – but they also seek to influence the evaluation of that news agenda – privileging particular interpretations of major news stories.


Tony Blair’s departing comments on the news media: “[The Independent] started as an antidote to the idea of journalism as views not news. That was why it was called the Independent. Today it is avowedly a viewspaper not merely a newspaper. The final consequence of all of this is that it is rare today to find balance in the media.”

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6744581.stm




3. A Partisan Press

“There is no doubt that over most of this century the Labour movement has had less newspaper support than its right-wing opponents and that its beliefs and activities have been unfavourably reported by the majority of the press” – McGregor Commission on the Press (McGregor, cited in McNair 2009, p. 88).

“The national press has never reflected the political attitudes of a large – often a major – sector of the population in any representative degree since the rise of the Labour Party after the 1914-18 war” (Barstow, cited in McNair 2009, p. 89).

3. A Partisan Press

Murdoch’s tabloids became profitable in 1970s with a move to the political right.

Paradox of right-wing tabloids read by working-class, Labour Party voters (1987 Conservative landslide victory saw only 40% of Sun readers supporting Conservatives – Curran & Seaton 2010, p. 69) – argument for minimal media effects?

3. A Partisan Press

By 1993 most newspapers had switched allegiance from Major’s government. In 1995 Blair was invited to give keynote address to News Corp executives. For 1997 election majority of newspapers (apart from the Express, Mail and Times) supported vote for Labour.


Broadsheet and tabloid distinction – different size of newspapers. Tabloid actually means‘tablet’.

Size distinction less relevant now as many broadsheets have shifted to tabloid size.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3966681.stm




How to judge ‘quality’ ?

Aesthetic judgements used as markers of taste – high/popular culture split. Such criteria are used as class distinctions.

Quality judged in terms of content and professionalism. Comprehensive treatment of range of serious issues – greater emphasis on politics (domestic, international news), and business. Also quality of reportage – fairness & accuracy over sensational aspects of a story.


Different evaluations about the politics of tabloid news media:

Anti: dumbed-down content, sexist, the ‘personal’ obliterates the ‘political’;

Pro: highlights the politics the private sphere – domestic violence, obesity, etc., takes the view of ordinary citizen rather than reproducing the point of view promoted by authoritative sources.


Research shows people who use the Internet as a news source are already politically aware and use Internet to supplement news media consumption.

While the shift in the news mix is generally true, post 9/11 there has been renewed interest in international affairs.

With proliferation of information sources people may seek reputable newspapers.

Growing markets in specialist magazines and business and financial press.


Nonetheless, newspapers in their traditional printed form are experiencing a crisis.

Historical reasons for declining newspaper circulations preceding growth of Internet: decline of public transport and rise of commuter culture, early evening television news.


In October 2001 the News of the World sold an average of 4,104,227 copies every Sunday. Its final audited sale shortly before it closed was 2,667,428.

In October 2001 the Guardian sold 424,132 copies per day. In March 2013 its circulation was 193,586.


Readership of newspapers increasingly class-based – tertiary educated class who read ‘quality’ print media while tabloid newspapers have suffered. Professional class (A/B) readers attractive to advertisers of luxury consumer goods who are prepared to pay higher advertising rates to capture such readership.


Political context of struggle between trade unions and government - 1970s oil crisis, rising inflation:

1974 strikes that ushered in ‘three day week’ limitation on electricity use that played role in downfall of Heath Conservative government.

1978-79 – ‘Winter of Discontent’ instrumental in the defeat of the Callaghan Labour government after it was unable to control widespread strikes by public sector trade unions.

In 1992-93 the government announced further pit closures and another miners’ strike occurred (with more public support and positive news media coverage).


Coal industry:

In 1947, 958 of the largest coal pits were nationalised: source of 90% of UK’s energy with over 700,000 workforce.

In 1984, at start of miners’ strike 170 collieries remained with 196,000 workforce.


Miners’ Strike:

The strike was triggered by the National Coal Board’s announcement in March 1984 it intended to close 20 mines with a loss of 20,000 jobs.

Defining moment in British industrial relations. Struggle between Thatcher’s Conservative government and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) led by Arthur Scargill.

Unlike 1974 the government had prepared for action by the stockpiling of coal and by making alternative transport options for movement of coal.

Strike also undermined by divisions across coal mines around the country about taking strike action.


Miners’ strike was characterised by strong national press criticism of the miners and the demonisation of Scargill.

“Godfather Scargill’s Mafia Mob” (News of the World, 7/10/84)

“Scargill’s Real Aim is War” (The Sun 5/4/84)


Sunday Times labour correspondent Donald McIntyre complained about pressure from editor Andrew Neil to offer less critical perspective on the National Coal Board (Curran & Seaton 2010, p. 80).

“The industrial correspondents, along with broadcasting technicians, are basically our enemies’ front line troops” responsible for “a cyclone of vilification, distortion and untruth” (NUM Press Officer Nell Myers, cited in Williams 2009, p. 36).


Press photographs focused on violence of strike action and conflict with police.

In contrast, police violence was not promoted in press photographs. Famous photograph of Lesley Boulton at the ‘Battle of Orgreave’ protest was initially ignored by mainstream newspapers (apart from Observer who balanced picture with another photograph of injured policeman) (Williams 2009, p. 97). At the protest 5,000 miners confronted the same number of police - 51 picketers and 72 policemen were injured.


Miners’ strike early example of the importance of news management. Scargill’s regard of the press as the enemy meant reporters were not welcome in many pit villages and reportage occurred from behind police lines (Williams 2009, p. 87).

Mainstream news media reportage contrasted with local, alternative newspaper coverage that focused more on miners and the affected communities (Harcup 2011).

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2014/06/how-miners-strike-1984-85-changed-britain-ever




References

Curran, J. 2010, ‘Fable of market democracy’, in J Curran & J Seaton, Power Without Responsibility: Press, broadcasting and the internet in Britain. 7th edn. Routledge, London.

Harcup, T 2011, ‘Reporting the voices of the voiceless during the miners’ strike: An early form of “citizen journalism”’, Journal of Media Practice, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 27-39.

McNair, B 2009, ‘Print journalism in the UK’, and ‘The regional story’, in News and Journalism in the UK, 5th edn, Routledge, London.

Williams, G 2009, Shafted: The Media, the Miners’ Strike and the Aftermath, Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom, London.

power without responsibility (jn 500) print journalism: history and issues case study: 1984-85...

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