ABSTRACT
The relationship between politicians and the media is crucial to understanding British politics today. Coverage is exhaustive, particularly in the electronic media where special television channels are devoted to 24-hour news, Internet sites dealing with political issues have proliferated, and many politicians either publish their own online blogs or share their daily musings on platforms like Twitter. The media newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and online outlets considered in a collective capacity. Until quite recently, media commentators had a convenient way of distinguishing between Britain’s national newspapers according to the size of their pages. While the effect of market forces on the British press undoubtedly tends to restrict rather than expand the range of opinions covered, it is still possible to argue that the present situation satisfies the basic requirements of liberal pluralism. Media influence can also help to explain the diminished importance and democratic vitality of the main parties’ annual conferences.
