To think people don't understand the role of the media in a democracy?

[madIam]

I have read here several times the opinion that ‘the media’ are somehow to blame for leaking the stories about the shenanigans at Downing Street and such posters seem to think the reporting of the alleged crime is worse than the crime itself as it is an attempt to undermine the government. On Question Time this week a woman expressed this idea very forcibly and won an enthusiastic round of applause – in essence, her argument was that the media needs to stop stirring things up and undermining ‘Boris’ as then he can get on with running the country and saving us from WW3.

I just don’t understand why people don’t seem to realise that what they are arguing for is not democratic at all. Do they want to live in a state in which it is not possible for the government to be criticised or held to account when they break the law? A woman on Newsnight even said she does believe the parties took place but the matter should be dealt with ‘behind closed doors’. Wtf – shall we do all trials behind closed doors too?

Of course I don’t think the media, especially certain elements of it, always cover themselves with glory, but we absolutely do need a free press. If the government/Johnson/staff hadn’t had these wretched parties they couldn’t be leaked and reported on for a start. And the drip drip drip is obviously down to Cummings/whoever else is leaking and out of the control of the press.

AIBU to think we are doomed as so many people in this country just don’t understand, well anything really?

It is not obvious to me that the drip drip drip of new revelations is down to Cummings or other leakers. When the newspapers received the FOI data on MPs expenses (all in one go) they published it bit by bit and made the story last months.

I agree that a free media is highly desirable, but it needs to be far more diffuse and not owned by a few large groups. The links between top politicians (and their advisors) and the media is far too incestuous in this country. The media also need to act legally, truthfully, honestly and be fairly punished when they do not. It would be nice if the media was less biased, but only the broadcasters are required to be.

Don't forget that whilst the media is publishing stories on "blackmail" of rebel MPs and potential lying and law-breaking, they have in recent years been found to have lied themselves, blackmailed people who they have targeted, hacked their phones and computers, published faked photos and others obtained through blatantly illegal means.