Speaks about Boris Johnson’s time as Brussels correspondent at the Telegraph and how his career thrived on stories about condoms and bananas etc - despite frequently missing briefings. “And now he’s Prime Minister,” Boulton says to a big laugh. #mediabrexit
How much responsibility does media have for rise in Euroscepticism? Adam Boulton says much broadsheet coverage was often fairly constructive before the EU referendum. #MediaBrexit
But the Sun in its heyday, the Mail somewhat ambiguously, the Telegraph and the Mirror all enjoyed an us vs them narrative. - Adam Boulton
Adam Boulton says he has never believed in journalistic boycotts - we want this information no matter where it’s from. Eg Spectator and Sky News published full “dark arts” briefing. But were threatened in.l response that it shouldn’t have been reported. #MediaBrexit
He adds that there is less and less access given to reporters as a right. Idea of PM doing a monthly news briefing has completely disappeared. Never had a problem with non-attributable lobby briefing, but that system has broken down.
Now not so much to tell people things, but to deny. Recent Govts introduced “dark lobby” to tell things they don’t want attributed to them. Boulton calls that “stupid”
Boulton says because access has become so rare people are put through hoops to get access to interviews - they do accept conditions, agree not to ask certain things. #MediaBrexit
Sky News had been in naughty corner with Govt. 2015 election got interview with David Cameron. Asked about his football team mix-up. Told it was outrageous and that they would never get ministerial access on a Sunday again.
So now politicians tend to appear with people they have some kind of relationship. Says Robert Peston’s show is half journalism and half showbiz. I no longer think there is fair trading for this kind of access, he says. #MediaBrexit
Departmental press officers are now too scared and too intimidated to give out any information, Adam Boulton says. #MediaBrexit
Adam Boulton says he deals with a daily torrent of abuse. This makes it a very unpleasant area to work in. “It’s got into a real killing zone out there, so the chance of people actually looking out for journalistic principle is pretty low.” #MediaBrexit
He points as an example to yesterday when his colleague Beth Rigby wrote for Sky News about the remaining options on Brexit, which led to a story on Guido Fawkes and people berating her as a Remainer etc. #MediaBrexit
Adam Boulton - the main thing I want in an interview is engagement; not just autopilot. People have different techniques for that - I’m conniving. #MediaBrexit
Politicians want to keep interviews as short as possible now so by the time journalists ask what they have to ask, the time has run out. This is why John Humphrys got good at interrupting to push things on. #MediaBrexit
“Absolutely right” that Sky Views articles like Beth Rigby’s can put broadcasters’ impartiality at risk - also eg Naga Munchetty row at BBC. It’s a strain as broadcasters want their correspondents etc to have a personality and profile.
At Sky Boulton says he’s told more people now access it via the phone app rather than the TV so demand for written pieces for online. His understanding of Sky Views is to give a personal perspective but NOT an opinion.
Similarly Boulton writes Sunday Times comment pieces where he is supposed to give a perspective but not an opinion. He said from the beginning that he wouldn’t write anything he wouldn’t say on TV. It’s a very thin line to tread, but important to tread it. Says Rigby would agree
Says more analysis to be done about the Leave side of Brexit. Remain is more obvious what it means.
Tendency at the BBC to assume the referendum has happened therefore won’t question the outcome. But Sky always saw the ref as part of a dynamic process and therefore were prepared to say is it going to happen - there is another side to this argument. #MediaBrexit
Boulton says broadcaters have “grown apart” from the newspapers over Brexit, where coverage in one or two titles has become “so partisan”. “I don’t think anyone takes the front page of The Sun seriously anymore, he says. #MediaBrexit
