Political
Commentary
Political Reporting (JN 513)
Lecture Outline
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1. Introduction
2. Defining Political Commentary
3. Kinds of Political Commentators
4. Commentary and Reportage
5. Functions of Political Commentary
Introduction
• The news media not only set the agenda –
determining which news stories are covered – but
they also influence the evaluation of that news
agenda – privileging particular interpretations of
major news stories.
• While we have seen a decline in investigative
journalism, the news media have become more
interpretative – more journalist-pundits or political
commentators.
Introduction
• Tony Blair’s departing
comments on the news
media: “[The
Independent] started as
an antidote to the idea
of journalism as views not
news. That was why it was
called the Independent.
Today it is avowedly a
viewspaper not merely a
newspaper. The final
consequence of all of this
is that it is rare today to
find balance in the
media.”
Introduction
• Political commentary in recent years was a way to
differentiate print media from the news bulletins of
television and radio and respond to declining
circulations. Now it is intertwined with social
media/blogs.
Defining Political Commentary
• As name suggests, opinion columns have strongly
focused arguments and commentators often have
defined ideological position.
• The column “is a stylistic dramatisation not only of
the subject or issue at hand but also of the pundit’s
rightful status to speak on it authoritatively” (Nimmo
& Combs 1992, p. 12).
Defining Political Commentary
• The journalist-pundit is accepted as an authority on
political affairs, has good access to political circles,
and is “a source of opinion-formation and opinionarticulation, agenda-setting and agendaevaluation” (Nimmo & Combs 1992, p. 8).
• “Columnists build their reputations, and sell
themselves, on the authority of their public voice,
which in turn is derived from a combination of
intellect, articulacy (in whatever idiom is
appropriate to the organ in which it appears),
knowledge and contacts” (McNair 2000, p. 64).
Defining Political Commentary
• Political commentators play crucial role in relations
between the political and journalistic fields –
primarily relevant to political class?
• Of course politicians also play role of political
commentators and engage in political dialogue
with opponents through commentary.
Defining Political Commentary
• Nimmo and Combs (1992) argue that pundits,
presenting themselves as elites with special
knowledge, work to exclude the public.
• But McNair (2000, p. 81) defends pundits/columnists:
• “Pundits are by definition an elite group, as the
nature of their work and the mode of its operation
demands. We would hardly trust them to be
gatekeepers, organisers and interpreters of our
political environment were they unable to
demonstrate particular skills which the average
journalist, let alone the average citizen, did not
possess.”
Defining Political Commentary
• McNair (2000, p. 82) concludes: “…the ‘columnary
explosion … is an intelligble journalistic adaptation
to an environment which is highly competitive,
information-rich and intensively manipulated by
political actors. We need the interpretative moment
in journalism, I have suggested, because the world
is too complex, its information flows too rapid, for us
to make sense of on our own.”
• It could be argued that the interpretative,
adversarial nature of political commentary best
serves the watchdog role of journalism.
Kinds of Political Commentators
• McNair (2000, pp. 65-66) distinguishes between
‘polemical’ columnists who go ‘against the grain of
current thinking with their provocative, deliberately
inflammatory expressions of opinion’ and
‘analytical-advisory’ columnists who ‘prefer a more
restrained rhetorical style, signalling their
distinctiveness and individuality by intellectual,
rather than polemical means’.
Kinds of Political Commentators
• Provocative columnists
such as Jeremy
Clarkson and Richard
Littlejohn and Melanie
Philips. Also George
Monbiot on the left of
the political spectrum.
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http://www.thedrum.com/news/20
13/05/29/questions-daily-mail-andrichard-littlejohn-followingtransgender-teacher-lucy
http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/s
to/comment/columns/jeremyclarks
on/article1381563.ece
Kinds of Political Commentators
• Influential
commentators such as
Polly Toynbee
(Guardian), Matthew
d’Ancona (Sunday
Telegraph).
Commentary and Reportage
• Commentary is derivative – it relies on some kind of
pre-text.
• Commentary gives “voice to facts” – necessarily
interpretative.
• Commentators often do reporting.
• Division between comment and reporting less clearcut. The “division between comment and reporting
has become steadily eroded, so it’s difficult to know
where comment ends and reporting begins” –
Catherine Mayer.
Commentary and Reportage
• Context of political commentary – opinion columns
usually published opposite editorials and letters-tothe-editor.
• Commentary now plays more active role in
narrative structure of newspapers, running in
tandem with news stories or sometimes driving news
agenda.
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Commentary and Reportage
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Commentary and Blogs.
With decline of print the blogosphere is
increasingly important. The brand of key
columnists translates into blogs – Catherine
Mayer.
Key blogs (among so many) include:
PoliticsHome http://www.politicshome.com
Ian Dale’s Diary http://iaindale.blogspot.co.uk
Guido Fawkes - http://order-order.com
Coffee House (Spectator) http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/
Tom Watson MP - http://www.tomwatson.co.uk
Open Democracy http://www.opendemocracy.net/countries
/uk
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/
nov/17/newmedia.politicsandthemedia
Some distinguish between comment and
bloggers with greater scrutiny and editorial
judgment said to be exercised in
newspaper commentary.
Functions of Political Commentary
• 1. They entertain.
• Political commentary is individualistic, stylish and
witty. Intersects with more general culture of
political satire.
• 2. They set agendas.
• Powerful columnists can provoke issues, target
weaknesses of politicians, etc.
• 3. They say they tell the truth – and alert the people
to the lies told to them by politicians.
Functions of Political Commentary
• 4. They do battle. Provoke and animate aggressive
journalistic culture. While they can exercise balance
their singular opinions are set against others.
• 5. They spot, or set, trends. Not only politically but
also culturally (such as Tom Wolfe on 60s and 70s
culture).
• 6. They form, or speak to, constituencies. They often
embody political stance of publication and express
value system of section of the public.
• “Comment is the essential intersection between the
political class and the public” – Charles Clarke.
Functions of Political Commentary
• 7. They change their minds. Shift in opinion on
political crises can prompt actions (such as
resignations).
• 8. They have the power to destroy ministerial and
other public careers. They amplify reporting and
give judgments on issues.
References
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Hobsbawm, J & Lloyd, J 2008, The power of the commentariat, Editorial
Intelligence and Reuters Foundation.
McNair, B 2000, Journalism and Democracy: An evaluation of the political
public sphere. Routledge, London.
Nimmo, D & Combs, J.E. 1992, Political Pundits, Praeger, New York.
Seminar Questions
• 1. How important are ‘facts’ in political
commentary?
• 2. The Montgomerie column states “Today, bloggers
keep all columnists on their toes. Facts are checked,
prejudices challenged, biases exposed.” Does the
rise of political commentary and the blogosphere
contribute to a more active and critical public
sphere?
• 3. Do you follow a particular political commentator
on a regular basis?