The British public is offered full coverage of political issues and events with five daily ‘broadsheets’, an evening newspaper and several tabloids with high circulation in London alone, and broadcasting networks including the well-respected BBC. This number of British media means that political stories are told in multiple versions and are submitted to multiple interpretations. This course examines a number of issues and current topics in the news that demonstrate the long-term struggle for power between the conventional media (press, TV, radio news media and increasingly, the internet) and UK politicians and political institutions. Additional topics to be explored are: How this struggle affects the delivery of news to the British public; what are the opportunities and challenges of internet coverage of parliament’s proceedings; and whether public broadcasting has a future.
Drawing on topics from current affairs, students will be encouraged to probe the consistency and contradictions of Britain's political leaders, appraise party political agendas and explore how interest groups exercise influence in a mature democracy. In addition to acquainting students with key aspects of contemporary British politics, students will examine the structure and function of British national media.
Students will be expected to read and comment about British domestic political developments featured in the national press and other media. After they have become generally familiar with the UK’s political system, the class will proceed to explore a succession of topics, collectively intended to illuminate and define the changing relationship between politicians and the news media.
Prerequisites:
None
Learning outcomes:
Students who complete the course will develop:
• A general informed understanding about British politicians, democratic institutions and the political system
• A developed understanding of media policy and the dynamic relationship that exists between politicians, political developments and the news media
• Insights about government news management, censorship and control
• Critical appreciation of the theory and operation of political news’ acquisition, interpretation, communication and dissemination by print, broadcast and on-line media
• Knowledge about the opportunities and challenges presented by development of digital communications and globalization on news media
Method of presentation:
Lectures, discussion, guest speakers.
Required work and form of assessment:
Lectures (including DVD and other visual materials); seminar discussions, and student presentations. The course features 12 classes, including one field trip to the BBC TV Centre.
Attendance and class participation (10%); research assignment (30%); seminar presentation (10%); mid-term exam (20%); written final exam (30%)
The research assignment involves students adopting a comparative approach or examining contrasting perspectives about a specific issue, policy or political development or testing an aspect of the actual relationship between news reportage and domestic UK politics against one or more established theories about the role of the news media. The text may be in the form of an essay or report, 1,500 + words long, excluding notes, bibliography and appendices. The topic and title must be negotiated in advance and approved by the instructor.
content:
Class 1: Introduction: Political System & the UK Press
Parliament, British political parties and politicians – relationship with the UK mass media – political reportage - image and reality. Manufacturing Consent. Reading: Jones & Norton, 141-160, 306-313, 316-330, 332-344;
Negrine (1996) 1 – 22, 55 – 77.
Class 2: UK Political System
To what extent may the UK media be held responsible for current parliamentary crisis? Does news coverage lend substance to the contention that in securing coverage in the press, image has become more important than ideology for political parties?” Reading: Seldon & Kavanagh, 94-111; Kuhn, 203 -206; Seymour-Ure, ch
8.; Jones & Norton, A2-A19; Washbourne, 31-50; Louw, 109-127 and other readings as assigned.
Class 3: UK Political System – Interest Groups
Peculiarly English? Mobilizing public opinion: Case studies, including the 2005 UK Law banning hunting with dogs, the League against Cruel Sports and the Countryside Alliance. Reading: Countryside Alliance & League
Against Cruel Sports websites; A. Anderson, 722-738; and other readings as assigned.
Class 4: Control Freakery, Packaging and ‘Spin’
Government news management has proved highly controversial. Media advisers (e.g. Alastair Campbell and
Andy Coulson), have been accused of undermining democratic process but as Jo Moore’s resignation and the outcome of the Hutton Inquiry into WMD demonstrate, attempts to ‘bury bad news’ or to manipulate public opinion are not always successful. Reading: Cottle, 45-61; Kuhn, 176-202; Tony Blair speech on the UK media,
12 July 2007; Oborne chs. 11 and 12
Class 5: Information Communications Technology and UK Politics
Issue: How might ICT play a part in reversing UK voter apathy? How influential are UK political bloggers? Reading: Axford & Huggins, 64-89; 109-126 1-30; Coleman et al, 9 - 41; 67 - 79; Curran, 55 - 78; Curran and Seaton, 237 – 293; Fenton, 120 - 137; Miller (6.11.2003) ‘System Failure’; Papacharissi, 131-167; Stokes & Reading, 108-125; Street, 213-230.
Class 6: Office of Communications (OFCOM) was intended to consolidate, modernise and transform the relationship between the UK State and the Media. Critics say OFCOM undermines media independence but supporters insist it protects the UK from global super corporations, as well as maintaining quality, diversity and therefore choice for UK TV viewers. Case study: The Russell Brand/Jonathan Ross controversy. Reading:
OFCOM website; Daily Mail, 26.10.08 Russell Brand etc.; BBC News Timeline: Russell Brand. MID TERM EXAM
Class 7: Media Magnates and UK Democracy
Rupert Murdoch’s NewsCorp media interests extend across the Atlantic – and it has been claimed that Murdoch’s support secured Tony Blair’s election in 1997. However, the demise of Robert Maxwell and Conrad Black also exemplify media magnates’ fragility. Reading: Dwyer, 69-79, 97-103; Greenslade, 606 – 621; 675-
680; Kuhn, 88-112; Negrine, 57-80; Stokes & Reading, 124-144; Street, 124-144; Wolff, 378-413.
Class 8: Restructuring the UK Media: Challenges and Opportunities
UK newspaper circulations are collapsing and TV advertising revenue has dwindled. Has government liberalisation policy exacerbated UK media vulnerability? Reading: Curran and Seaton, 392 -412; Kuhn, 58 –
87; Sarikakis, 23-42; Stokes & Reading, 127-141; Barnett 7-14; Newspaper extracts.
Class 9: Public Service Broadcasting
Public Service Broadcasting (the BBC) is far more influential in the UK than in the USA. The debate about future funding of the BBC is politically controversial. What issues inform current debate and how may the outcome influence news coverage? Video viewing; Kuhn, 30-57; OFCOM Review of PBS & BBC Response; Bromley, 28 -
45; Curran and Seaton, 197-234; Freedman, 147-170; McNair, 108-135; Stokes & Reading, ch. 4.
Class 11: Manufacturing Consent UK?
To what extent may Herman and Chomsky’s thesis be applied to today’s UK media? Chambers et al., 216-240, Curran and Seaton, 66-103; Herman & Chomsky in Tumber, 166-179; Lloyd, 185 – 203; http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/
Class 12: Field study visit to BBC; Date TBD; TERM PAPER DEADLINE
Required readings:
Blair, T., Text of speech on the media, Reuters, 12.6.2007
Cottle, S. (ed.), News, Public Relations and Power London, SAGE 2003
Chambers, D. et al, Women and Journalism London, Routledge, 2004
Curran, J., Media and Power London, Routledge 2002
Curran, James and Jean Seaton Power without Responsibility: the Press and Broadcasting in Britain London, Routledge, 2003 edn.
Doyle, G. Media Ownership London, SAGE, 2002
Dwyer, T. Media Convergence Maidenhead, McGraw Hill/Open University Press, 2010
Fenton, N. (ed.), New Media, Old News – Journalism & Democracy in the Digital Age London, SAGE, 2010
Freedman, D., The Politics of Media Policy, London, Polity Press, 2008
Jones, B. & Norton, P., Politics UK London, Pearson, 2010 (7th edn.) Kuhn, R., Politics and the Media in Britain London, Palgrave, 2007
Lloyd, J., What the Media are doing to Our Politics London, Constable, 2004
Louw, E., The Media and Political Process, London, SAGE, 2010
McNair, B., News and Journalism in the UK London, Routledge, 2009 edn.
Recommended listening: BBC Radio 4 [ 92-95 fm & 198 lw ] Today (Daily morning news programme, 6.00 – 9.00 a.m.; Talking Politics (Saturdays 11.00 – 11.30 a.m. When Parliament is sitting: BBC Radio 4: The Week in Westminster (Saturdays 11 - 11.30 a.m.); Today in Parliament (Weekdays 11.30 - 12.00 p.m.) or Yesterday in Parliament (Weekdays, Radio 4 .8.45-9.00 a.m.)
Notes:
This course is offered during the regular semester and in the summer. For summer sections, the course schedule is condensed, but the content, learning outcomes, and contact hours are the same.
Brief Biography of Instructor:
In addition to his contributions to London’s City University’s MA in Non-fiction Writing, and the IES Abroad History of London course, Julian Putkowski specializes in teaching overseas students about UK media and politics. Julian’s post graduate teaching specialism is English & Communications, and he has worked in a range of non-academic contexts, including journalism, business development, and management of a not-for-profit youth education project. His established interest in linking British media, politics and history has most recently been reflected in “Tommyrot”, a critical essay he contributed to Sir Michael Howard’s (ed.) “A Part of History” (2008). He has two reference works about British military officers (forthcoming: Francis Boutle Publishers, 2010) and has recently completed a (co-authored) manuscript of a book about murderers.
Media and UK Politics
The British public is offered full coverage of political issues and events with five daily ‘broadsheets’, an evening newspaper and several tabloids with high circulation in London alone, and broadcasting networks including the well-respected BBC. This number of British media means that political stories are told in multiple versions and are submitted to multiple interpretations. This course examines a number of issues and current topics in the news that demonstrate the long-term struggle for power between the conventional media (press, TV, radio news media and increasingly, the internet) and UK politicians and political institutions. Additional topics to be explored are: How this struggle affects the delivery of news to the British public; what are the opportunities and challenges of internet coverage of parliament’s proceedings; and whether public broadcasting has a future.
Drawing on topics from current affairs, students will be encouraged to probe the consistency and contradictions of Britain's political leaders, appraise party political agendas and explore how interest groups exercise influence in a mature democracy. In addition to acquainting students with key aspects of contemporary British politics, students will examine the structure and function of British national media.
Students will be expected to read and comment about British domestic political developments featured in the national press and other media. After they have become generally familiar with the UK’s political system, the class will proceed to explore a succession of topics, collectively intended to illuminate and define the changing relationship between politicians and the news media.
None
Students who complete the course will develop:
• A general informed understanding about British politicians, democratic institutions and the political system
• A developed understanding of media policy and the dynamic relationship that exists between politicians, political developments and the news media
• Insights about government news management, censorship and control
• Critical appreciation of the theory and operation of political news’ acquisition, interpretation, communication and dissemination by print, broadcast and on-line media
• Knowledge about the opportunities and challenges presented by development of digital communications and globalization on news media
Lectures, discussion, guest speakers.
Lectures (including DVD and other visual materials); seminar discussions, and student presentations. The course features 12 classes, including one field trip to the BBC TV Centre.
Attendance and class participation (10%); research assignment (30%); seminar presentation (10%); mid-term exam (20%); written final exam (30%)
The research assignment involves students adopting a comparative approach or examining contrasting perspectives about a specific issue, policy or political development or testing an aspect of the actual relationship between news reportage and domestic UK politics against one or more established theories about the role of the news media. The text may be in the form of an essay or report, 1,500 + words long, excluding notes, bibliography and appendices. The topic and title must be negotiated in advance and approved by the instructor.
Class 1: Introduction: Political System & the UK Press
Parliament, British political parties and politicians – relationship with the UK mass media – political reportage - image and reality. Manufacturing Consent. Reading: Jones & Norton, 141-160, 306-313, 316-330, 332-344;
Negrine (1996) 1 – 22, 55 – 77.
Class 2: UK Political System
To what extent may the UK media be held responsible for current parliamentary crisis? Does news coverage lend substance to the contention that in securing coverage in the press, image has become more important than ideology for political parties?” Reading: Seldon & Kavanagh, 94-111; Kuhn, 203 -206; Seymour-Ure, ch
8.; Jones & Norton, A2-A19; Washbourne, 31-50; Louw, 109-127 and other readings as assigned.
Class 3: UK Political System – Interest Groups
Peculiarly English? Mobilizing public opinion: Case studies, including the 2005 UK Law banning hunting with dogs, the League against Cruel Sports and the Countryside Alliance. Reading: Countryside Alliance & League
Against Cruel Sports websites; A. Anderson, 722-738; and other readings as assigned.
Class 4: Control Freakery, Packaging and ‘Spin’
Government news management has proved highly controversial. Media advisers (e.g. Alastair Campbell and
Andy Coulson), have been accused of undermining democratic process but as Jo Moore’s resignation and the outcome of the Hutton Inquiry into WMD demonstrate, attempts to ‘bury bad news’ or to manipulate public opinion are not always successful. Reading: Cottle, 45-61; Kuhn, 176-202; Tony Blair speech on the UK media,
12 July 2007; Oborne chs. 11 and 12
Class 5: Information Communications Technology and UK Politics
Issue: How might ICT play a part in reversing UK voter apathy? How influential are UK political bloggers? Reading: Axford & Huggins, 64-89; 109-126 1-30; Coleman et al, 9 - 41; 67 - 79; Curran, 55 - 78; Curran and Seaton, 237 – 293; Fenton, 120 - 137; Miller (6.11.2003) ‘System Failure’; Papacharissi, 131-167; Stokes & Reading, 108-125; Street, 213-230.
Class 6: Office of Communications (OFCOM) was intended to consolidate, modernise and transform the relationship between the UK State and the Media. Critics say OFCOM undermines media independence but supporters insist it protects the UK from global super corporations, as well as maintaining quality, diversity and therefore choice for UK TV viewers. Case study: The Russell Brand/Jonathan Ross controversy. Reading:
OFCOM website; Daily Mail, 26.10.08 Russell Brand etc.; BBC News Timeline: Russell Brand. MID TERM EXAM
Class 7: Media Magnates and UK Democracy
Rupert Murdoch’s NewsCorp media interests extend across the Atlantic – and it has been claimed that Murdoch’s support secured Tony Blair’s election in 1997. However, the demise of Robert Maxwell and Conrad Black also exemplify media magnates’ fragility. Reading: Dwyer, 69-79, 97-103; Greenslade, 606 – 621; 675-
680; Kuhn, 88-112; Negrine, 57-80; Stokes & Reading, 124-144; Street, 124-144; Wolff, 378-413.
Class 8: Restructuring the UK Media: Challenges and Opportunities
UK newspaper circulations are collapsing and TV advertising revenue has dwindled. Has government liberalisation policy exacerbated UK media vulnerability? Reading: Curran and Seaton, 392 -412; Kuhn, 58 –
87; Sarikakis, 23-42; Stokes & Reading, 127-141; Barnett 7-14; Newspaper extracts.
Class 9: Public Service Broadcasting
Public Service Broadcasting (the BBC) is far more influential in the UK than in the USA. The debate about future funding of the BBC is politically controversial. What issues inform current debate and how may the outcome influence news coverage? Video viewing; Kuhn, 30-57; OFCOM Review of PBS & BBC Response; Bromley, 28 -
45; Curran and Seaton, 197-234; Freedman, 147-170; McNair, 108-135; Stokes & Reading, ch. 4.
Class 10: EU and the UK Media
EU enlargement eroded diversity and choice in EU Accession states. Will this also occur in the UK – threatening the regional news media? Doyle, 141 – 161; McNair, 157-182; Sarikakis, 43-57; EU AV and Media Policies: regulatory framework; http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/media/index_en.htm; http:ec.europa.eu/avpolicy/reg/tvwf/index_en.htm+Television+without+Fron...
Class 11: Manufacturing Consent UK?
To what extent may Herman and Chomsky’s thesis be applied to today’s UK media? Chambers et al., 216-240, Curran and Seaton, 66-103; Herman & Chomsky in Tumber, 166-179; Lloyd, 185 – 203; http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/
Class 12: Field study visit to BBC; Date TBD; TERM PAPER DEADLINE
Useful Internet Sites
UK Political Blogs round up: UK Poli Blogs : http://www.voidstar.com/ukpoliblog/
UK Politics: http://www:epolitix.com/EN/ ; www.explore.parliament.uk ; www.politics.co.uk ;www.parliament.uk
British Government & Politics on the Internet (Keele University): http://www.keele.ac.uk/depts/por/ukbase.htm BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/
OFCOM: www.ofcom.org.uk
Almost all the UK newspapers, national and local, have on-line websites or via: http://www.wrx.zen.co.uk/ or http://www.journalismuk.co.uk/links.htm
UK Regional Press: http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/news/2006/online/061110eu.shtml
Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom: http://www.cpbf.demon.co.uk/ Northern Ireland/Conflict Archive on the Internet: http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/
British Government & Politics on the Internet (Keele University): http://www.keels.ac.uk/depts/por/ukbase.htm
People and Politics UK: http://www.political.org.uk/ Policywatch: http://aoife.indigo.ie/~pwatch/sbp0498.html
UK Politics Information Page: http://www.ukpol.co.uk/ukpo.htm
Women on TV: http://www.aber.ac.uk/~eduwww/Undergrad/ED30520/women1.html
TV/Radio Politics / Media Coverage
(Times may vary slightly, check TV/Radio listings): Recommended viewing: BBC1 TV's News at 10 (10.00 p.m.); This Week (BBC1 TV Thursdays, 11.35 p.m. – 12.20); ITV1 London (Channel 3) News (10.30 p.m.); BBC2 Newsnight (Weekdays 10.30 – 11.20 p.m.), Channel 4 News (Weekdays 7.00 p.m.); Despatch Box (When Parliament is sitting - Weekdays circa 12.00 p.m.); BBC News 24; Sky News; Sunday AM (BBC1, Sundays 8.30 a.m. – 9.30 a.m.); The Politics Show (BBC1, Sundays 1.20 p.m. – 2.20 p.m.); Jonathan Dimbleby/ITV News
(ITV1 London, Sundays 12.55 – 1.50); The Week (ITV1 London, Sundays, 1.50 – 2.20 p.m.)
Recommended listening: BBC Radio 4 [ 92-95 fm & 198 lw ] Today (Daily morning news programme, 6.00 – 9.00 a.m.; Talking Politics (Saturdays 11.00 – 11.30 a.m. When Parliament is sitting: BBC Radio 4: The Week in Westminster (Saturdays 11 - 11.30 a.m.); Today in Parliament (Weekdays 11.30 - 12.00 p.m.) or Yesterday in Parliament (Weekdays, Radio 4 .8.45-9.00 a.m.)
This course is offered during the regular semester and in the summer. For summer sections, the course schedule is condensed, but the content, learning outcomes, and contact hours are the same.
In addition to his contributions to London’s City University’s MA in Non-fiction Writing, and the IES Abroad History of London course, Julian Putkowski specializes in teaching overseas students about UK media and politics. Julian’s post graduate teaching specialism is English & Communications, and he has worked in a range of non-academic contexts, including journalism, business development, and management of a not-for-profit youth education project. His established interest in linking British media, politics and history has most recently been reflected in “Tommyrot”, a critical essay he contributed to Sir Michael Howard’s (ed.) “A Part of History” (2008). He has two reference works about British military officers (forthcoming: Francis Boutle Publishers, 2010) and has recently completed a (co-authored) manuscript of a book about murderers.