Up early for a Sunday, alarmed by the radio. Have now bought an Observer and Sunday Times. They are not quite as reported on the BBC. Both have reporting of moves by Hilary Benn but not the sacking. I cannot see from the stories what else Corbyn could do. the info must have come from somewhere even if Benn was "unavailable for comment".
Peter Preston in Observer defends the tole of newspapers against the assumed attack that several of them are controlled by the very rich and they have influenced the voters with stories about immigration for example. He has some numbers about how voting and source of news varies by age. He thinks the views of newspaper readers have been formed before they read anything. I think we should come back to this later when there is more info on how opinion shifted in the various pahases of the debate and how this might reflect the stories of the day.
He questions the role of TV, claiming that the policy of balance prevented much critique of what was being claimed. I don't see why newspapers should not have that role also. They are not just there to reflect the bias of readers.
Looking at Twitter I find a WikiLeaks tweet about the heckler video from yesterday. The headline is "How the news agenda is set" .
What makes a single individual heckling a politician newsworthy? There are dozens such examples every single day that are not newsworthy.
The answer is simple. Normally the hecklers are promoting an anti-establishment view, so it does not get reported. Whereas this heckler was promoting the number one priority of the establishment and mainstream media, to get rid of Jeremy Corbyn. So this heckler, uniquely, is front page news and his words are repeated at great length in the Guardian and throughout the broadcast media.
The impression is deliberately given that he reflects general disgust from young people, and particularly gay young people, at Corbyn over the EU referendum. The very enthusiastic reception for Corbyn at Gay Pride is not reported.
Nor is the fact that the incident was not a chance one. The “heckler” is Tom Mauchline, a PR professional for PR firm Portland Communications, a dedicated Blairite (he describes himself as Gouldian) formerly working on the Liz Kendall leadership campaign. Portland Communications’ “strategic counsel” is Alastair Campbell.
So far from representing a popular mood, Mauchlyne was this morning on twitter urging people to sign a 38 Degrees petition supporting the no confidence motion against Corbyn. Ten hours later that petition has gained 65 signatures, compared to 120,000 for a petition supporting Corbyn. Mauchline formerly worked for 38 Degrees, unsurprising given their disgraceful behaviour over the Kuenssberg petition. I am waiting for the circle to be squared and Kuenssberg to report on the significance of Mauchline’s lone heckle.
Of course this may not be true. But the facts can be easily checked. Comparing 65 to 120,000 may be the sort of ratio for discussion outside Westminster and the lobby. Not sure how to describe this better, but it may clarify over the next week or so.
Back to my opinion. I think during the referendum Jeremy Corbyn was visible on social media but maybe only the younger voters noticed this. Possibly by arrangement with the shadow cabinet he was rarely on TV debates except for Sky News and the Last Laugh. When he did make a speech it was often not reported.
I have had no dispute about my screenshot , twice tweeted , showing that Channel 4 blocked a clip from the Last Laugh on Corbyn's own YouTube channel. How is he expected to get a message across if he is not reported for what he has to say?
His speech yesterday, by the way most considered and constructive on policy and immigration, is not much reported today. Those MPs wanting a change of leadership have provide the media with a more interesting story. Below is a YouTube clip of the speech. Notice how the BBC distract with news of challenges after a couple of minutes.
Peter Preston has also noticed how things turn up on YouTube. It will be very interesting to see how the newspapers and TV report the Corbyn leadership and the related world of social media. I will tend to rely on Corbyn talking directly to camera. ( newspapers not so much)
continues as tweets and retweets will789gb
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