More On How It Happened

My post ‘The triumph of the tabloids’ is directly easily my most read post inwards the 4 as well as a one-half years I own got been writing a blog. I suspect that partly reflects readers from overseas trying to empathize how on populace British voters could own got chosen to produce something then patently harmful to the economy. I own got after been pleased to run across others picking upward the same idea: Maria Kyriakidou wrong.

Although the championship of my post referred to the tabloid press, their success was exclusively possible because the broadcast media failed to render whatever antidote. I own got written nearly this a lot during the campaign. One link that I did non mentioned is suggested yesteryear Grant. He writes

One of the BBC’s most senior journalists confessed to me, a few days earlier the referendum: “If nosotros give a Leaver a difficult time, nosotros know that the Mail or the Lord's Day may selection on us as well as that that is bad for our careers. But if nosotros are tough on Remainers it mightiness upset the Guardian as well as that doesn’t affair at all. This affects the means around colleagues handgrip interviews.”

He likewise notes that many journalists failed to contender falsehoods grade frontward yesteryear Leave politicians only because they were non knowledgeable enough, a indicate I own got made many times nearly political commentators cognition of economics. This is then important, because if politicians quote ‘facts’ that are fake as well as interviewers allow them pass, you lot are jump to leave of absence an impression with viewers that these facts are true. As whatever macroeconomist volition enjoin you, people brand decisions based on the data they have.

But it is non exactly the Brexit vote that the tabloids are partly responsible for. It is the racism as well as intolerance that they own got helped legitimise. Of course of teaching politicians must accept most responsibility for this, but the tabloids play an of import role. This volition exclusively overstep away worse every bit those who voted Leave overstep away disillusioned that nix has improved, as well as of course of teaching no tabloid volition e'er apologise for getting it wrong. They are the paradigm of ability without responsibility. And because of the ability these newspapers have, politicians dare non criticise them for it. One did, as well as he paid a heavy price.