Reflections on the state of the media and journalism globally and locally
Recent world and local events have once again made me think about where journalism as a profession is going.
Since the invention of the Gutenberg press in 1440 which allowed for the mass production of pages, a revolution in written communications took place and it accelerated the European Renaissance and Enlightenment through the Industrial Revolution into the Atomic Age and more recently the Digital Age writes Jim Masson.
My ancestors in the north of Scotland were actually publishers, and one went on to become a publisher himself in Edinburgh and translate many classical texts in the late 16th century and he served as the Chief Librarian of the Lord Advocates Library for 50 years in his long and productive life. He would have met and possibly even influenced many of the early Scottish Enlightenment thinkers.
As modern liberal democracy from the 18th century unfolded, the printed press emerged to become the Fourth Estate to act as an unofficial system of checks and balances in society, and the media took on its own life.
And technology is now running our lives at pace in ways we could never have imagined a decade ago and it evolves as I write.
At times the media has aligned to political interests and the dichotomy between the ‘English dailies’ into papers inclining to the right or left reflects this reality of class politics.
In the UK the ‘papers’ have mainly been shaped by class loyalties from readership to patronage. Just look at the Tory Party with its multi-million donations. Or consider the American electoral system where Trump is hoovering up mega bucks at his rallies to fund his re-election.
In Northern Ireland class politics still exists to some extent but there is an extra layer of complication about media ownership and interests being largely being in the hands of one side of the community which could impinge on its objectivity.
And it gets even more interesting when you look at clientelistic relationships forming between political parties and media interests particularly over the past 20 years and even post-Covid reflecting the fundamental cultural reality of politics in the front trenches.
While parties cosy up to elements in the media, the essential objectivity of the role of the media is compromised.
And this leads to a further debasing of the role of the journalist in our society. Journalism places a key role in maintaining a healthy democracy and balanced reporting is essential.
Recently, I read an article promoted by the Society of Editors (Down News is a member). The Journalist’s Charity, a welfare organisation that helps journalists in harder times, launched a new campaign to highlight the importance of supporting journalism as a profession.
The Journalists’ Charity launched this campaign “highlighting the importance of journalism in holding power to account, exposing truth and routing out injustices.” The list goes on.
This campaign looks at the difficult role of the journalist in politics at a global and international level, often fraught with danger. American politics, election interference, the issues in the Middle East, environmental climate change, and increasing tensions that could lead to WW3.
Good journalism helps maintain balance and objectivity. It helps stem the slide into extreme thinking and polarisation opposing authoritarianism trends where possible. And authoritarian thinking and control can creep into the most unlikely of places.
Journalists’ Charity CEO, James Brindle added: “I think the question everyone needs to ask themselves, particularly in a year like 2024, is where would we be without journalism? Has there ever been a greater need to hold power to account? To expose truth? To probe into dark corners and route out injustice?
“Journalists are routinely risking their health and their lives to bear witness, the charity said, as well as reporting truth and uncovering facts to promote a free and fair society.”
He is saying that it is the role of a journalist to look into the depths and darkness of the human soul and fathom out the truth of a person’s or body’s actions and report it fairly and professionally.
And In Northern Ireland, the murky politics of a broken party political system locked into the Good Friday Agreement trundles on with more subterfuge at regional and local level.
Since the rise of Social Media from the face of the media/press has changed once again to become something even more mercurial and uncertain.
Down News set up in October 2009 as a hyperlocal blog. Its aim was to bring FREE, independent, local news and news that was generically useful and interesting to those who could access it via broadband. It initially targeted the isolated rural community.
The early viewing figures were lowish but with the improvements in broadband accessibility and cover becoming almost universal, the digital readership has risen considerably.
The rise in digital newspapers also saw the decline in the sales of many print titles across Northern Ireland facing sustainability problems and many pulling out of the Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) which independently audited their counter sales twice a year.
Declining print advertising too has proven to be less profitable coupled with rising production and distribution costs adding to the woes of the print media section.
Although more money is now spent globally on digital advertising, the UK and Ireland has been slower to pick up probably due to the scale and fragmented nature of the markets. So the digital sector too which also carries the flag for proper journalism standard, or should do, also faces pressures.
And especially in our society today which has endured many difficulties in the past 50 years, the importance of the journalist in both print and digital has never been so great as we look into the chasm of chaos and noise that is social media.
Almost everyone nowadays is a news generator.
And that is at the narcissistic reality of the issue in the media today. It is a case of the Emperor’s clothes being nicked and the tyranny of the majority prevents openness and honesty being addressed properly which will result in a decline in moral standards and the role of the Fourth Estate is gradually subsequently diminished.
We even have full-time non-media related workers taking photos for the press in their spare time and people in organisations writing reports for their own social media silos posting there first before they release the information to the media for scrutiny. So much for trade union solidarity protecting the rights of photographers, journalists, and the production teams.
Social media has become a storm of noise displacing some of the essential work of the press – both printed and digital. Pandora’s box has been opened.
Many independent agencies, political parties, government bodies and indeed community and voluntary groups are now using social media to get their communication out to a wider audience. Invariably many lack journalism skills as per the NUJ Code of Conduct.
But the sum total is that it ultimately dilutes the media and weakens the Forth Estate (the press, digital and print.)
And with the manipulations too from the big tech giants on social media platforms who collect data from almost ALL platforms and utilise that for their own ends, it seems that it is not a level playing field. For example, how many of us have complained that algorithms have been reset to reduce our reach to our client readership base ?
What is Down News?
- It is an independent digital, hyperlocal news website that using social media applications.
- It covers Country Down and topics of generic interest to the residents there.
- It is affiliated to IMPRESS, an independent governance body.
- It is registered as a data contrller with the ICO (Information Commissioners Office).
- I am a paid-up NUJ member and abide by its code of ethics.
- I am a member of the Society of Editors, Federation of Small Businesses and the Independent Community News Network.
- I engage in regular training to keep up to speed with developments.
- Also, I am fully insured for public liability.
- Down News also provides a digital photography training camp for beginners and those who want to progress.
In other words, DOWN NEWS is a professional organisation, but like others it struggles for sustainability. But fortunately I don’t have an expectation of being a .com millionaire so that is a useful reality check.
Down News main coverage includes: news items on arts, business, community, education, environment, health, politics, rural affairs and farming. Sports news also covers a range of activities.
Again, it is the aim of Down News to publish a balanced set of articles each week reflecting life across County Down.
Given that we live in Northern Ireland and all that stands for, you will appreciate there is a limit to what I can achieve in presenting this balanced offering which at times may fluctuate.
Generally political parties don’t like sharing a platform on an issue with other parties so I have tended to publish their submissions as single items.
If they have widely diverging views then I can build them together, but as Down News publishes on the hoof, the story could pass by the time some parties respond to a press request – if at all – so I make a call to publish or hold.
Down News is non-political in its views, and if you feel that there is an imbalance then I can address that. But don’t hold your breathe as some parties and very thin skinned and are just comfortable operating in their own silos where they can control critical comments.
And yes, social media can be a pain as trolls and emotionally-driven thinkers respond often offensively to a post. These comments are removed as soon as aI seen them.
My guiding principles are accountability, openness, transparency, democracy and fairness.
Beyond that, I am tolerant and accepting of other peoples points-of-view and faiths and political persuasions.
For my own part, I understand the ethos and religions of both communities and I am comfortable working in both camps, and in none.
So, that folks is a summary of my thoughts for today.
A Short Anecdote:
I’ll just finish up with a short anecdote from a deceased friend of mine, the late Dick Shannon, who many will remember as an inveterate health campaigner for the Downe Hospital and other health causes.
Dick was elected in County Louth in the early 60s as a TD – the youngest TD to be elected in Ireland I believe back then.
He recounted, he walzed into an editor’s office in Dundalk and was pretty high up on his toes, a young firebrand. The editor grinned at him, nodding as Dick spoke about his plans going forward etc. Then after a while, the demeanour of the editor changed suddenly.
His smile turned into a grimace, and he was showing his big, long teeth, and his eyebrows furrowed, and he said, to paraphrase: “Now listen here young Shannon, I want you to remember one thing. Just remember who put you where you are now. And one f…..ing more squeak out of you and you’ll be gone tomorrow. Got it?”
Dick told me that story a number of times. He has miscalculated the importance of the role of the editor.
He recalibrated.
And sometimes that is something well have to do.
Even me.
