Politics today is inextricably bound to the media, indeed it is now a routine assumption that the media can determine election outcomes. Consequently, over the last 20 years, the conduct of politics has become increasingly driven by what might "play well" on televison or in the press. Not just election campaigning, but other major political platforms including by-elections, budgets, party conferences and set piece speeches have become dominated by media considerations. This is a book about how that relationship works in practice. What sort of deals are done between politicians and journalists? What tactics do politicians use to try and manipulate the media? What are journalists' techniques of resistance? What determines how a campaign is put together? Have policy issues and the national good really been surrendered to image-making and sound-bite tactics? This book examines the modern process of political communication through the eyes of the many different actors who are now involved. Through their own experience, and through personal interviews conducted with many of the key media and political figures, the authors construct a vivid picture of how political communication is managed today and the direction in which it is going.

The mass media in different countries reflects dominant concerns of contemporary societies. Ideas of `environmentalism' are often broad and imprecise, holding neither meaning nor currency. Environmentalism and Mass Media sheds new light on the diverse ideas of `environmentalism', the way environmental ideas circulate, and public reaction to environmental concerns conveyed by the media. Drawing on unique interviews with journalists, media pictures, and public opinion surveys in both UK and India, the authors outline the differing cultural, religious and political contexts against which `world views' form present a fascinating picture between North and South. Mass media and communication technology is in danger of locking Northern countries into a ghetto of environmental self-deception, thereby perpetuating poverty in the South. The South's goal remains the attainment of development; the North sees `environmental' problems occuring `elsewhere' - in Eastern Europe and developing countries. Whether or not `environmentalism' becomes a universal cause depends on how and to what extent such sharply contrasting world views can converge.

The mass media in different countries reflects dominant concerns of contemporary societies. Ideas of "environmentalism" are often broad and imprecise, holding neither meaning or currency. This volume discusses the diverse ideas of "environmentalism", the way environmental ideas circulate, and public reaction to environmental concerns conveyed by the media. Drawing on interviews with journalists, media pictures, and public opinion surveys in both UK and India, the authors outline the differing cultural, religious and political contexts against which "world views" form present an interesting picture between North and South. Mass media and communication technology is in danger of locking Northern countries into a ghetto of environmental self-deception thereby perpetuating poverty in the South. The South's goal remains the attainment of development; the North sees "environmental" problems occuring "elsewhere" - in Eastern Europe and developing countries. Whether or not "environmentalism" becomes a universal cause depends on how and to what extent such sharply contrasting world views can converge.

Culture Wars investigates the relationship between the media and politics in Britain today. It focusses on how significant sections of the national press have represented and distorted the policies of the Labour Party, and particularly its left, from the Thatcher era up to and including Ed Miliband's and Jeremy Corbyn's leaderships. Revised and updated, including five brand new chapters, this second edition shows how press hostility to the left, particularly newspaper coverage of its policies on race, gender and sexuality, has morphed into a more generalised campaign against 'political correctness', the 'liberal elite' and the so-called 'enemies of the people'. Combining fine-grained case studies with authoritative overviews of recent British political and media history, Culture Wars demonstrates how much of the press have routinely attacked Labour and, in so doing, have abused their political power, distorted public debate, and negatively impacted the news agendas of public service broadcasters. The book also raises the intriguing question of whether the rise of social media, and the success of its initial exploitation by Corbyn supporters, followed by Labour as a whole in the 2017 General Election, represent a major shift in the balance of power between Labour and the media, and in particular the right-wing press. Culture Wars will be of considerable interest to students and researchers in the fields of media, politics and contemporary British history, and will also attract those with a more general interest in current affairs in the UK.

Culture Wars investigates the relationship between the media and politics in Britain today. It focusses on how significant sections of the national press have represented and distorted the policies of the Labour Party, and particularly its left, from the Thatcher era up to and including Ed Miliband's and Jeremy Corbyn's leaderships. Revised and updated, including five brand new chapters, this second edition shows how press hostility to the left, particularly newspaper coverage of its policies on race, gender and sexuality, has morphed into a more generalised campaign against 'political correctness', the 'liberal elite' and the so-called 'enemies of the people'. Combining fine-grained case studies with authoritative overviews of recent British political and media history, Culture Wars demonstrates how much of the press have routinely attacked Labour and, in so doing, have abused their political power, distorted public debate, and negatively impacted the news agendas of public service broadcasters. The book also raises the intriguing question of whether the rise of social media, and the success of its initial exploitation by Corbyn supporters, followed by Labour as a whole in the 2017 General Election, represent a major shift in the balance of power between Labour and the media, and in particular the right-wing press. Culture Wars will be of considerable interest to students and researchers in the fields of media, politics and contemporary British history, and will also attract those with a more general interest in current affairs in the UK.

Politics today is inextricably bound to the media, indeed it is now a routine assumption that the media can determine election outcomes. Consequently, over the last 20 years, the conduct of politics has become increasingly driven by what might "play well" on televison or in the press. Not just election campaigning, but other major political platforms including by-elections, budgets, party conferences and set piece speeches have become dominated by media considerations. This is a book about how that relationship works in practice. What sort of deals are done between politicians and journalists? What tactics do politicians use to try and manipulate the media? What are journalists' techniques of resistance? What determines how a campaign is put together? Have policy issues and the national good really been surrendered to image-making and sound-bite tactics? This book examines the modern process of political communication through the eyes of the many different actors who are now involved. Through their own experience, and through personal interviews conducted with many of the key media and political figures, the authors construct a vivid picture of how political communication is managed today and the direction in which it is going.