Teaching Comparative Government and Politics

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

News media and politics

This report on Tony Blair's speech (and the speech itself, there's a link to a .pdf version of the text at the Guardian site) picks up on many critiques of the contemporary news media environment. (The use of the word 'feral' is interesting in that it implies a formerly tame beast gone wild.)

There might be an interesting, although speculative, comparative study of news media and politics suggested by Blair's critique. How does it compare to Putin's attitudes (based on the growing government control of news media in Russia)?

A less speculative case study would be based on actions and not presumed attitudes. That comparison would examine the actions of the Russian, Iranian, Chinese, Mexican, and Nigerian governments with the actions of the British government toward the news media. The comparisons could be framed within the context of the rule of law, political culture, strength of government power, or civil liberties.


Blair attacks 'feral' media

"Tony Blair used one of his final speeches as prime minister today to launch an attack against the media, accusing it of hunting like a 'feral beast tearing people and reputations to bits'.

"Admitting he began his premiership with a reliance on spin, Mr Blair went on to say TV and newspapers had become demonstrably worse over his 10-year reign...

"[H]e insisted the deteriorating coverage of political reporting in particular had 'sapped the country's confidence and self-belief; it undermines its assessment of itself, its institutions and above all else it reduces our capacity to take the right decisions in the right spirit for our future.'..."




See


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