Mediaboss Marketing

George Osborne arrives at the London Evening Standard offices to start work as its new editor. Jacob Ecclestone refers to the end of the longstanding convention that prohibited non-journalists from being given jobs on national newspapers people like George Osborne, for example Photograph: Victoria Jones/PA

George Monbiot is to be applauded for acknowledging the crisis in British journalism (The biggest losers? Not the Tories but the media, who missed the story, 14 June). Ata moment when historic news brands should be doing all they can to foster trust in the face of fakery, they are squandering it. That the most trusted our broadcasters have been slavishly accepting the lead and the language of the worst our corporate press is simply tragic. British journalism is shredding its own future.

Only journalists can fix this, but there are public policy measures that can help. We can prevent Rupert Murdoch gaining full control of Sky. We can initiate part two of the Leveson inquiry, looking into the role of newspaper managements in criminality. And we can ensure that news publishers in print and online, and including the Guardian are properly accountable to a fully independent and effective self-regulator of the kind recommended by the Leveson inquiry. These are urgent matters. Prof Brian Cathcart Kingston University, London

The explanation for why young people from working-class backgrounds have, over the past 30 years, been steadily excluded from all forms of mainstream media is to be found in the anti-union legislation of the 1980s and 90s. Media companies were encouraged to derecognise the National Union of Journalists (and other unions), to scrap collective bargaining, to withdraw from agreements on training and crucially to kill the longstanding convention that prohibited non-journalists from being given jobs on national newspapers people like George Osborne, for example. Thedestruction of workers rights to organise industrially has also undermined the ability of journalists to hold on to some ethical standards.

Where do ideas come from in our society? Traditionally they have come from those who control the means of production. But now as someone who was a member of the NUJ for almost 60 years I am grateful for the alternative that social media seems to offer. Jacob Ecclestone (NUJ president 1979-80), Diss, Norfolk

Another aspect of the media/politics nexus that George Monbiot might have covered in his excellent piece is that media and politics are nowadays often simply career choices for those lucky enough to be able to make them. No different from, say, accountancy, banking, law, corporate management or finance. As with all careers, family connections are particularly helpful. Possibly as a result, neither media nor politics is any longer anything approaching a vocation for the majority of industry players. Thefew for whom it is make themselves known to us by their deeds. Quite neat as well that Georges piece should be published on the day you printed JimmyBreslins obituary. John Smith Sheffield

As a Labour campaigner and media watcher its been clear to me for a long time that too many political pundits are just as trapped in a Westminster bubble as MPs. They feed off each other, as is demonstrated by the frequency with which the same views and even the phraseology used in the largely rightwing press regularly crop up in radio and TV interviews with Labour MPs. The failure to get out more and do their own research has resulted in a media groupthink which led to the failure to recognise the support that Jeremy Corbyn had in the country. At least George Monbiot is honest enough to admit his own susceptibility and loss of faith. I believe this failure to maintain confidence in ones own judgment allowed too many Labour MPs, especially the newer and less experienced intake, to join the dissenters clamouring to oust their unelectable leader. Theyd better get behind him now and take a bit more notice of ordinary members who worked so hard to deliver the votes that got them re-elected. Karen Barratt Winchester

Join the debate email guardian.letters@theguardian.com

Read more Guardian letters click here to visit gu.com/letters

Here is the original post:
Cosy media means democracy loses out - The Guardian