4.2 The Media Flashcards
✅ Yes, the media has major influence in UK politics
Newspapers can shape election outcomes
E: The Sun backed every winning party since 1979
EX: 1992 “It’s The Sun Wot Won It”; 2024 endorsements flipped to Labour
L: Biassed press sways older voters and sets the narrative
Social media targets and amplifies messages
E: Labour spent £2M on Google ads in 2024; viral clip of Sunak leaving D-Day
EX: 69% of UK voters use Facebook; targeted ads drive turnout and tactics
L: Fast, direct, emotional messaging massively shapes views
Media pressure changes government action
E: ITV’s Horizon/Post Office exposé led to compensation and legal reforms
EX: XL Bully ban followed media-led panic over dog attacks
L: Media agenda-setting power = legislative consequences
🧾 Mini Conclusion (Yes side): The media is powerful during and between elections — shaping opinions, coverage and even policy.
❌ No, media impact is exaggerated
Voters choose media that matches their views
E: 2024 — 52% of Daily Mail readers voted Labour, despite paper backing Tories
EX: Echo chambers reinforce beliefs — media rarely changes minds
L: Correlation ≠ causation — media reflects more than it persuades
Traditional media is in decline
E: Daily Mail circulation dropped from 2.4M (1997) to 736k (2024)
EX: Younger voters use social media or skip politics entirely
L: Influence now limited to older, politically engaged groups
Media often fails to shape outcomes
E: Corbyn attacked constantly in 2017 but still surged
EX: Sunak’s 2024 TV debate didn’t reverse Tory collapse
L: Media attention doesn’t always translate to votes
🧾 Mini Conclusion (No side): The media is noisy, not decisive — identity, issues and leadership remain more influential.
✅ Yes, the media holds government to account between elections
Investigative reporting exposes wrongdoing
E: Partygate leaked to media — collapsed Johnson government
EX: Louise Haigh resignation (2024) after media uncovered past conviction
L: Press can succeed where Parliament fails
Media keeps stories alive and forces responses
E: Post Office scandal gained traction via ITV/BBC — led to official action
EX: “Freebiegate” scandal exposed Labour cronyism and misuse of access
L: Sustained coverage = public pressure = government response
Ministers grilled publicly, not just in Parliament
E: Truss radio meltdown exposed incompetence, contributed to downfall
EX: Media filled the gap when Parliament was closed during COVID
L: Democratic oversight often driven by journalists, not MPs
🧾 Mini Conclusion (Yes side): The media is a watchdog between elections — investigating, exposing and pressuring governments.
❌ No, Parliament does more than the media
Real accountability comes through MPs
E: Select committees interrogate ministers; formal scrutiny in debates
EX: Speaker rebuked Reeves for briefing media before Parliament
L: Parliament, not press, should lead democratic accountability
Media can be manipulated or complicit
E: Blair’s “grid” system controlled news flow; Braverman invited only friendly press
EX: Some outlets act as party mouthpieces, not watchdogs
L: Media doesn’t always challenge power — sometimes protects it
Public doesn’t always engage
E: Most people disengage from political news outside elections
EX: 2024 — many scandals got low engagement compared to entertainment
L: Without public interest, media pressure means little
🧾 Mini Conclusion (No side): The media isn’t a perfect check — bias, spin, and apathy all limit its impact.
✅ Yes, the media enhances democracy
A free press = a functioning democracy
E: Telegraph leaked Hancock’s COVID WhatsApps in public interest
EX: Newsnight, GMB, LBC challenge politicians on behalf of public
L: Media informs, questions and exposes — vital democratic tools
Social media gives more people a voice
E: Activists, pressure groups, and young voters now influence discourse
EX: Mick Lynch, climate strikes, #JusticeForPostmasters
L: Political debate more participatory than ever
Media forces transparency and accessibility
E: Parties post manifestos and policies online; leaders face constant scrutiny
EX: 24/7 coverage forces responsiveness and openness
L: Media pressure helps close democratic gaps
🧾 Mini Conclusion (Yes side): When free and fair, media empowers voters, informs debate and exposes abuse of power.
❌ No, the media harms democracy
Oversimplifies, misleads and manipulates
E: 2024 — social media disinfo against Jess Phillips; Musk accused of incitement
EX: Focus on scandal/image (not policy); two MPs killed in last decade
L: Sensationalism and hatred threaten civil discourse and safety
Undue power of media moguls
E: Murdoch met PM 5x in 2022–23; Blair flew to meet him pre-1997
EX: Media endorsements reflect billionaire interests, not voters
L: Unelected elites shape policy through influence and access
Undermines Parliament’s primacy
E: Reeves briefed budget to media, not Commons; Speaker condemned it
EX: Major policies revealed via interviews, not democratic debate
L: Media-first approach erodes parliamentary democracy
🧾 Mini Conclusion (No side): Media power is unelected, unchecked and often toxic — its role in politics is double-edged.
