View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Archive content
January 31, 2002updated 17 May 2007 11:30am

‘Riot police got tough to satisfy media’

By Press Gazette

Hilsum: "biggest problem is access"

Home Secretary David Blunkett’s promises of tough policing and the use of water cannon during the Oldham riots were made in anticipation of how the media would report the violence, it was claimed on Tuesday.

Speaking at the ICA in London at part of its News in the New Century series called Objectivity v Complicity, BBC freelance journalist Jake Lynch said draconian policies were drawn up in anticipation of press coverage that called rioters "hate-filled youths".

But reports that examined the causes of the riots, such as long-term deprivation and poverty, would bring about a different response, said Lynch.

Governments, PRs and leaders of small-time militias, know what facts to present in order to get them reported, argued Lynch, who believes that learning about conflict resolution would prevent journalists becoming complicit in stories or being manipulated.

But John Vidal, the Guardian’s environment editor, said everything a journalist does "is used politically".

"Greenpeace may invite me along when they are taking out a GM crop, and they know I’m going to report it, but what they don’t know is how I’m going to report it."

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

Lindsay Hilsum, Channel 4’s political correspondent, said that on the ground the biggest problem was getting access, particularly in troubled areas such as Zimbabwe.

"If a journalist says there’s anarchy in a country you can be sure they don’t know what the hell is going on. The thing we are always struggling against is a lack of knowledge and we are always running to catch up.

"The demands of 24-hour news and satellite have made it harder to trust what you are told. Someone tells you a story — you need to know by the end of the day if it’s true. You need two sources, but you can’t get them, but you can’t wait until the next day because the story’s gone."

By Julie Tomlin

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network