“Politicians & the Media in Hot Soup

- Edwin Wong -

That's the title of my Opinion Piece, which I have submitted to some news agencies (Australia/Singapore) for consideration. Hopefully it gets published...ahaha!

As Follows Is My Article:

THE News of the World phone hacking scandal unfolding in the United Kingdom (UK) has sent shockwaves across the globe, prompting investigations into the workings of media conglomerates in countries such as Australia and USA. While politicians and the media reflect on their actions, members of the public are emerging as the winners from this crisis.

Power, being the ability to influence hearts and minds is highly sought after. As is the case of a love triangle, the tussle for power has often panned out amongst politicians, the media and the public. After all, the balance of power has over time shifted in waves, from one institution to the other and will continue to do so.

During the period immediately after World War II, democracy was at a low point where leaders were most powerful and can dictate public opinion. With the growth of democracy in the wake of the Cold War, the media established itself as a government watchdog and curtailed the power of political leaders.

Subsequently, the media began to be concentrated in the hands of media conglomerates. Such domination of media entities shifted the balance of power to media conglomerates, as they were able to utilize their extensive resources to shape public opinion.

Notably, the News of the World scandal has hastened an inevitable transition of power from the media to the public.

Today, ordinary individuals are empowered to voice their opinions given the proliferation of communication channels and media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter. Australian-born Professor John Keane, author of The Life and Death of Democracy aptly coined this phenomenon as the age of ‘communicative abundance’. Since public exposure of misdemeanors is now made easier with technology, ordinary citizens are better placed to scrutinize power. In other words, individuals are influential enough to rein in the once powerful media and also politicians when necessary.

At the crux of this matter, the public has much to gain. Regardless of the remedial measures undertaken, both politicians and the media will tread the line carefully in future. They will also go all out to win back the trust and confidence of the general public. One may well see politicians become more transparent and govern better in the interests of the people. The media may focus more attention on informing and educating the public and ensure that their information is garnered through legitimate methods.

Although the power of the public relative to politicians and the media has increased, this is not to say that the scandal will lead to the demise of politicians and the media. Collectively, the three stakeholders in the tripartite relationship will remain interdependent.

Drawing upon the speech (Media Speech) made by ex-British Prime Minister, Tony Blair in 2007, politicians will still have to ‘cope with the media’ to communicate with the public effectively. More importantly, a thriving media landscape is essential for the sustenance of any democracy.

Likewise, the media relies on politicians and the public to stay in business. Members of the public turn to the media for their information and entertainment needs. The public also needs to stay in touch with their political leaders as government policies affect their lives.

Against the backdrop of the scandal, the confluence of the media, politics and society has been accentuated. The current state of the media, in particular News Corporation is akin to a spurned mistress falling from grace but actively seeking to win back the heart of her lover(s). Whether the media will regain its foothold and influence remains to be seen.

As things stand, the public is set to have a larger say in most matters while politicians and the media clean up their act.