Still Life in the Old Attack Dogs: The Press

Abstract

During the 2015 campaign, there was considerable negativity and partiality in much press reporting; it was not difficult to find examples of robust political partisanship descending into personal vilification. Some of this was the kind of journalism that had been repeatedly highlighted and criticised only a few years before, following the 2011 hacking scandal and during the ensuing year-long Leveson Inquiry. Some commentators believed that this election might witness digital platforms operating as a counterbalance, assuming a more significant, potentially influential role in framing public participation in, and perceptions of, the contest. At the close of the campaign, Alastair Campbell observed: ‘Why has social media been so important? Politicians aren’t trusted anymore, business isn’t trusted like it was, the media is certainly not trusted like it was … The genius of social media, and the genius of Facebook is the concept of the friend. We trust our friends.’¹