The British press / Mick Temple.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Temple, Michael, 1949-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Press--Great Britain--History.

Press.

Press and politics--Great Britain--History.

Press and politics.

Journalism--Political aspects--Great Britain--History.

Journalism.

Journalism--Social aspects--Great Britain--History.

Journalism--Social aspects.

History.

Journalism--Political aspects.

Great Britain.

Physical Description:

x, 259 pages ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Maidenhead, England ; New York : Open University Press, [2008]

Summary:

This exciting book offers a practical introduction to the history, theory, politics and potential future of British newspapers. Focussing on the relationship between the press and political history, it examines their social and political impact, assessing the press's contribution to enlarging and informing the public sphere.

The author provides a theoretical critique of press developments. The first part of the text leads you through key historical moments from the English Civil War to Wapping and beyond, while the second half takes an in-depth look at current empirical and theoretical concerns. Scholarly yet accessible, Mick Temple is not afraid to take a position on today's contentious issues.

The book takes a more positive perspective on the British press than has often been the case, highlighting the online strength of great brand names like the Telegraph, Guardian, Sun and Mail. Temple argues that throughout their history, our newspapers have been vital conduits for public opinion and, on occasion, catalysts for social change.

The British Press is key reading for journalism, media and social science students.

Contents:

1 From Gutenberg to mass medium 3

Introduction: early news 3

The birth of print 4

The Civil War and Glorious Revolution 6

The beginning of 'the public sphere' 9

The development of a national press 11

The slow rise and sharp fall of the radical press 15

The triumph of a free press? The 'fourth estate' myth 19

2 The shock of the new: the rise of the 'popular press' 22

Introduction: the birth of the popular daily press 22

The rise of 'new journalism' 24

Political parties and the press 25

A crisis in the public sphere 27

Alfred Harmsworth, Lord Northcliffe 28

The press and the First World War 31

The era of the press barons: the interwar years 33

Politics and the press barons 34

The press and fascism 36

A mass readership 37

3 The press and the Second World War: the triumph of radio 41

Introduction: the press's road to war 41

War is declared 43

Wartime media regulation 44

The Dunkirk spirit 47

A radicalised and mass public sphere 49

The press and the 1945 general election 51

4 The post-war press and the decline of deference...and sales 55

Introduction: press freedom in a centralised state 55

The party's over: the long fall in circulation and titles 57

The Suez crisis and the press 59

The television age arrives 60

The decline of deference 61

Murdoch arrives: the Sun also rises 63

Changes in the public sphere 68

5 New technology: Wapping and beyond 73

Introduction 73

The lead-up to Wapping 73

The battle begins 76

The post-Wapping bonanza-an enhanced public sphere? 80

The post-Wapping landscape 83

Today's newspapers 87

The 'quality' press 87

The mid-market duo 90

The redtops 91

6 The local press 94

Introduction 94

A brief history 95

The local press today 98

Control and regulation 100

The 'regional' press 101

Challenges for the local press 104

Advertising and the local press 105

Local politicians, the local press and the public sphere 106

Power in the local 108

The digital future for local papers? 111

7 Theories of news production and news values 114

Introduction 114

A pluralist environment? 115

Elitist perspective 116

Marxist perspective 116

Manufacturing consent? The press as propaganda 116

From control to chaos? 119

The nature of media influence 120

News values 122

The pluralistic assumptions of journalists 123

8 Censorship 130

Introduction 130

What is censorship? And why does it matter? 131

Government 'censorship' 132

Censorship by owners 135

The role of advertisers 137

Censorship by journalists 138

Other controls 140

The abdication crisis: King Edward VIII and 'that woman' 140

Modern war and modern media: censorship rules 142

A right to privacy? 145

The Net: the end of censorship? 147

9 Spin, public relations and the press 151

Introduction 151

Spin and the art of 'spin doctoring' 152

A brief history of political spin 154

Spinning a web of deceit? Alastair Campbell and the Iraq War 159

The increasing necessity of spin 162

The non-political spin doctors: the rise of public relations 164

A crisis of independent journalism? 165

The impact of spin and PR on the public sphere 168

10 Newspapers and 'dumbing down' 172

Introduction 172

The dumbing down debate 173

Newspapers and dumbing down: a new culture of celebrity? 175

The dumbing down of the 'quality' press 178

Have quality newspapers really dumbed down? 178

In defence of dumbing down: the need for an informed public 180

The local press and dumbing down 181

Dumbing down and the public sphere 184

11 The press and democracy: speaking for the public? 188

Introduction 188

Tribunes of the people? 188

Newspapers and the invocation of public opinion 193

A well informed public? 196

Do newspapers provide a forum - or the illusion of a forum? 197

Newspaper influence over the public 200

12 Future imperfect? 206

Introduction 206

Optimism or pessimism: the future for print 207

The press under attack: failing the public sphere 208

The online future: the importance of trust 211

Are we all journalists now? 212

The future of political journalism 213.

Notes:

Originally published: 1996.

Errata inserted.

Includes bibliographical references (pages [218]-245) and index.

ISBN:

0335222986

9780335222988

0335222978

9780335222971

OCLC:

225873562