A thread on #CarrieGate and journalism.
We are often told by Tory ministers and Tory papers that journalism is vital to a healthy democracy. This is often deployed as an pretext by the former to do favours for the latter. It's true none the less . . . 1/10
We are often told by Tory ministers and Tory papers that journalism is vital to a healthy democracy. This is often deployed as an pretext by the former to do favours for the latter. It's true none the less . . . 1/10
. . . and one of the reasons our democracy is in such a mess is that we don't have nearly enough decent journalism. As #CarrieGate shows.
Journalists serve democracy by informing citizens of the state of the world. They can't tell you everything, but . . . 2/10
Journalists serve democracy by informing citizens of the state of the world. They can't tell you everything, but . . . 2/10
... they should give you all the important stuff so you can make your mind up as an informed citizen. Not reporting #CarrieGate (like not reporting the economic consequences of Brexit) is not just bad journalism. It is an offence against journalism and against society. 3/10
It is a cover-up of the kind journalists are supposed to detest and it is a betrayal of the public.
Every single serious journalism organisation should today be working its socks off to reveal (a) whether the story in @thetimes was accurate and (b) why it was pulled. 4/10
Every single serious journalism organisation should today be working its socks off to reveal (a) whether the story in @thetimes was accurate and (b) why it was pulled. 4/10
The published allegation was extremely serious, and on the face of it rather better researched than the original account in the Ashcroft book. From the Sun to the Telegraph and from the BBC to the Express, there can be no excuse for ignoring it. 5/10
To repeat: if you claim to be providing a service that is essential to a healthy democracy you can't avoid investigating an allegation of this kind.
Equally the Times's spiking of the story is of vital public interest. Was it requested by Number 10 or ordered by Murdoch? 6/10
Equally the Times's spiking of the story is of vital public interest. Was it requested by Number 10 or ordered by Murdoch? 6/10
If it was either it was scandalous.
Tragically, we in Britain are accustomed to very low standards of journalistic ethics. Few people expect journalists to fulfil their democratic role. Cynicism is normalised. 7/10
Tragically, we in Britain are accustomed to very low standards of journalistic ethics. Few people expect journalists to fulfil their democratic role. Cynicism is normalised. 7/10
We need much higher expectations, both among the public and among journalists. It is absolutely NOT normal or acceptable in journalism for editors and reporters to turn their backs on important public interest stories. 8/10
Readers and viewers should be demanding coverage, not accepting corrupt silence. Journalists in newsrooms should be demanding that the big stories are reported and not ignored. They should be ashamed when they fail democracy. 9/10
No one has put this better than Murdoch himself, many years ago. "A newspaper can create great controversies," he said. "It can throw light on injustices, just as it can do the opposite – it can hide things and be a great power for evil." 10/10
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