Americanisation of Media Campaigns by British Political Parties - Coursework Example

Americanisation of media campaigns by British Political Parties ORDER NO 162861 APRIL 2007 The election campaigns today are being fought on battlegrounds controlled almost entirely by the news media. The present day politicians try to woo the electorate through newspapers, television, radio and websites (a recent addition). The media has become the most effective means of communication for the political parties. The media on the other hand needs the drama of an election campaign. This has led to an unhealthy relationship between the advisors of politicians and the men from the media. Today, in America, election campaigns centre on opinion polls, professional media management, and spin-doctors. Today political parties do not believe in such activities like neighbourhood canvassing and rallies that brought them in direct contact with the electorate but devote more attention to campaigning through the media. Television has become the most important source of political information and also the most important battleground. In Britain increased use of television, reliance on modern communication methods, like public relations consultants, advertising agencies, pollsters for election campaigns has led to Americanisation of media campaigns. The techniques used for campaigning are almost similar to consumer product marketing techniques. Introduction The American form of media -centred, personalised election campaigning is becoming common all over the world including Britain. Britain even though it is a European country its party system and culture has more in common with the United States than other European countries. The 1997 election campaign and strategy reflects American influence and it is apparent that many strategies and tactics were taken from the 1992 Clinton campaign. In Britain, newspapers still influence and shape daily political agenda, but it is the television and the radio, which is most likely to influence the electorate to choose their political leaders and parties. In recent times websites too have started to have an impact. In the last general elections in May 2005 the Internet was one of the main source of information for the younger generation. The use of web logs where voters can participate and express themselves, again a phenomenon borrowed from America, is being used more and more. In Britain what we see today is Political Marketing again a practice prevalent in America. Political Marketing is use of focus groups and polls to study the mood of the electorate and also to study the impact of political communication. In Britain the press is free and there are important safeguards for broadcasters. The press is free to support any political party and the broadcasters are required not to express their political opinions on air. The political parties cannot advertise on television and radio but are allowed a limited number of election broadcasts that are strictly controlled. But even this system is not very effective these days and there has been a lowering of editorial standards and sensationalism and manipulation of the media has crept in. The way in which the two main political parties in Britain have tried to manipulate the media has undermined public confidence in the political process. In Britain recent trends show that media proprietors are changing their political allegiance frequently and extend their support to the political parties or politicians in return for some favour. As a result there has been a tendency on the part of journalists to become partisan and opinionated. Media owners exercise a lot of power and this has become cause for concern. Americanisation Of the British Media From the time of the publication of The Making of The President, Theodore Whites study of the 1960 Presidential election, British journalists and political strategists have been fascinated by the American election campaigns. Margaret Thatcher taking cue from American election campaigns hired an advertising agency Saatchi and Saatchi to prop up her image and that of her party after a dismal performance of her party in the 1974 general elections. Gordon Reece, her image consultant employed a tutor to reduce the pitch of her voice, changed her wardrobe and made her use less make-up. The British journalists thought that American campaigns had a glamour, which was lacking in Britain. American political parties advanced political communication systems became the source for British political strategists. The 1997 British general election campaign used many of the American styles and techniques and thus began the Americanisation both of campaigning and the media. Later on Clintons campaign became a source of fascination for the British media. Clintons campaign team was staffed by men like George Stephanopoulos and James Carville who the British press thought were glamorous men. Tony Blair recruited Alastair Campbell and Peter Mandelson to help him in his campaign and put his ideas into action. These were his spin doctors (intellectual advisors are known as spin doctors in America). The central role the media play in generating political news, together with the recognition that television continues to be the most trusted source of voter information, has provided fertile territory for the spin doctor, a particular kind of public relations operative who has become increasingly commonplace in politics. (Wring D.2006). These spin-doctors also take care of the entire photo shooting opportunities and the sound bites of campaigns. A public appearance by political figures is no more spontaneous but is premeditated and planted by spin-doctors. For example, Tony Blair was shown playing football and tennis with Kevin Keegan to portray him as a sporty man of the people. The use of television as a media by the political parties in Britain has led to the Americanisation of British politics. In America Kennedy was packaged as a war hero and an image of youth and glamour. Today the British politicians are trying to woo the electorate by portraying universally accepted iconic images, which reflect public preferences. The image they create is of a younger, good-looking breed of politicians and not the boring, balding, opinionated politicians of the past. Todays politicians know that the best way to woo the younger generation is through television, which is all about entertainment and amusement, and not through House of Commons debates. Just as one hydrogen bomb packs more power than the total load dropped in World War Two, so one television broadcast more than equals a lifetime of mass rallies and street-corner oratory. Old methods of campaigning are as obsolete as conventional weapons. Tony Benn(1958) Journal Forward. That is why the new Tory party leader is actively building up an image. We see him cycling to work, showing off his wifes tattoo, all part of the process of connecting to the Britons. The importance of communication through media has become very important after the Kennedy-Nixon debates. The "look" of the politician has become a vital necessity of election campaigns and issues have been conveniently swept aside and stardom has taken its place. All efforts are made to make the politicians look telegenic. It was reported that in August 2003 the Tories spent 100,000 pounds on image consultants for Duncan Smith. Campaigns have become more personalized, focusing on leaders rather than party machines, and emphasizing leadership qualities more than policy content (Blumler and Gurevitch (2001). Negativity in campaigning, a tendency that has been prevalent in US politics is prevalent in British politics as well. According to Budge and Farlie (1983) and Riker (1993), political parties do not tend to engage in policy debates but rather to “talk past one another”. The 2001 Election campaign emphasized negative campaigning especially from the Tories. The tabloid press was used for making extreme negative attacks on Tony Blair in the last elections. Conclusion The use of electronic media, especially television, for political campaigns has to a certain extent diminished the role of the party. Political parties communicate events and issues to the electorate through personalities. Some people may argue that this kind of election campaigns using the media extensively for promoting the image of the leaders leads to public awareness and participation. They say that the political communications routed through media leads to improved communication between the voters and the political parties. But on the other hand it is seen that politicians reach new lows in trying to build their images and remain in the public eye. Americanisation of the media campaigns by British politicians has led to loss of trust in the politicians by the electorate. The ICM Poll of 2005 shows that eight out of ten voters felt that the politicians were not telling the truth and that they did not deliver what they promised. Many have not liked the news management techniques, the obsession with spin-doctors and negative campaigning by political parties. The present trend of trading information exclusively with certain journalists is not fair. Political parties should provide all journalists with the same information. This will raise editorial standards and also the journalists will find it difficult to fabricate or twist the information. There should be a level playing field. The process of releasing information selectively for political advantage undermines the political process. In Britain recent trends show that media proprietors are changing their political allegiance frequently and extend their support to the political parties or politicians in return for some favour. As a result there has been a tendency on the part of journalists to become partisan and opinionated. In recent elections the Sun, News of the World, The Times and Sunday Times owned by Robert Murdoch recommended their readers to vote for the Labour Party. The relationship between the political party and the company, which owns the newspaper, decides what the newspaper will say. However in politics the image of the politician is the focal point and television has become the main tool for projecting this image. Britains politicians are aware of this. The power of the news media cannot be underestimated. There is room for manipulation and sensationalism and this is a cause for concern. References 1. Blumler, J.G. and M. Gurevitch (2001) "Americanisation Reconsidered: U.K.-U.S. Campaign Communication Comparisons across Time”, in: W.L. Bennett and R.M. Entma(eds.) Mediated Politics. Communication in the Future of Democracy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2. Budge, I. and D.J. Farlie (1983) Explaining and Predicting Elections: Issue Effects and Party Strategies in Twenty-Three Democracies. London: George Allen & Unwin 3. Tony Benn(1958) Journal Forward 4. Wring Dominic (2006) The News Media and Public Relations State Read More