Journalistic transgressions in the representation of Jeremy Corbyn: From watchdog to attackdog

Abstract

This research critically assesses the press coverage of Jeremy Corbyn during his leadership bid and subsequent first months as the leader of the UK's Labour party. A content analysis (n=812) found that the British press offered a distorted and overly antagonistic view of the long-serving MP. Corbyn is often denied a voice and news organisations tended to prize anti-Corbyn sources over favourable ones. Much of the coverage is decidedly scornful and ridicules the leader of the opposition. This analysis also tests a set of normative conceptions of the media in a democracy. In view of this, our research contends that the British press acted more as an attackdog than a watchdog when it comes to the reporting of Corbyn. We conclude that the transgression from traditional monitorial practices to snarling attacks is unhealthy for democracy, and it furthermore raises serious ethical questions for UK journalism and its role in society.the press may well claim to be independent and to fulfil an important watchdog function. What the claim overlooks, however, is the very large fact that it is the Left at which the watchdogs generally bark with most ferocity, and what they are above all protecting is the status quo. (Miliband, 1969: 199)

Media definitely do matter: Brexit, immigration, climate change and beyond

“…For instance, alongside research on media portrayals of an uneven balance in the economic costs and benefits of EU membership (Gavin, 2000), there is strong evidence of decades of media criticism of -and lacklustre support for -the EU, which is relevant to (dis)approval of the institution (Anderson and Weymouth, 1999;Hardt-Mautner, 1994;Hawkins, 2012). Research also illuminates persistent and strongly critical coverage of what was often characterised as the EU's exercise of sovereignty over Britain (Britain in Europe, 2000;Daddow, 2012;Dykes and Donnelly, 2012), and there is evidence strongly suggesting that, across a range of media, some party leaders were consistently handled very roughly in pre-Brexit media coverage (Cammaerts et al, 2016;Schlosberg, 2016).…”

No Surrender. No Challenge. No Protest Paradigm: A Content Analysis of the Canadian News Media Coverage of the “Yellow Vest Movement” and the “United We Roll Convoy”

“…Journalists are not, however, always conceptualized as watchdogs, but rather sometimes as guard dogs or even lapdogs of dominant interests and the status quo (Cammaerts et al. 2016; Donahue, Tichenor, and Olien 2000). Considerable critical scholarship contends journalism produces meaning in service of the dominant ideology, helping to manufacture consent (Herman and Chomsky 2002 [1988]) or even cheerlead for elite interests (Goodman and Goodman 2006).…”

The Significance of Ethnography in Youth Participation Research: Active Citizenship in the UK after the Brexit Vote

“…It is therefore logical that the movement's members would feel loyalty for Corbyn. However, the affection we witnessed went beyond political loyalty: "Cool old man" Corbyn (as characterised by another staff member), his political approach of personal integrity and equity through social democracy, is a "brand" that the young people working at Momentum believe in, despite repeated attempts by media to undermine him and Momentum (Cammaerts et al 2016). It is a kind of politics that we saw young people endorse at election rallies, and through their votes, in June 2017.…”