BY MAX GOLDBART
Gaining access to the most senior
politicians has emerged as a major
obstacle for news producers, as
MPs bypass traditional programmes
in favour of social media platforms.
Today presenter Nick Robinson,
a former BBC News political
editor, said politicians have been
emboldened by Donald Trump’s
behaviour to reject TV interviews
and instead broadcast their own
unchallenged message via Face-
book, Twitter and YouTube.
Trump is renowned for his late-
night Twitter rants and rarely gives
TV interviews unless with a network
he deems to be supportive.
“Politicians aren’t dependent on
broadcasters as they once were to
get their points across,” Robinson
told Broadcast.
“You can see this in the decisions
made by Jeremy Corbyn and Boris
Johnson. Plus, Theresa May was
interviewed far less than David
Cameron – but that was more to
do with her not being comfortable
[in a TV interview environment].”
Channel 4 News editor Ben
de Pear believes the rejection of
traditional TV media has led to a
“breakdown of trust” between the
public and political classes.
“Politicians feel new platforms
have given them a way of commu-
nicating a message that precludes
broadcasters – making us redun-
dant – but I don’t know if people
are buying it,” he added.
“This is eating away at the fabric
of democracy. They are making a
grave mistake in treating the
public as fools.”
Head of Sky News John Ryley
urged broadcasters to “stand up
for themselves and not allow
politicians to get carried away
by the ease of social media”.
He was speaking in the week
that Boris Johnson delivered hisfirst ‘People’s PMQs’, a live Facebook
stream featuring the prime minister
answering pre-vetted questions
from the public.
For De Pear, the low point came
last autumn when May became
the first prime minister to snub
interview requests from C4 and
Channel 5 at the Conservative
Party Conference.
He subsequently complained to
May’s director of communications
Robbie Gibb – a former BBC
Westminster chief – with a lettersigned by senior figures from all
the PSBs and Sky.
Johnson’s tactic of sending
“proxy supporters” in his place for
TV interviews is also an immense
source of frustration for the C
news chief.
“These sub-cabinet-level minis-
ters simply say, ‘I can’t speak for
Boris on that’ when faced with any
difficult questions,” he explained.
When senior politicians do
accept TV interview requests,
Robinson said they are becomingPoliticians aren’t
dependent on broadcasters
as they once were to get
their points across
NICK ROBINSON
BBC6 | Broadcast | 23 August 2019 broadcastnow.co.uk
MPs turn backs on TV news
Politicians increasingly using social media to spread their message rather than face grilling
Boris Johnson: bypassed the media
to deliver a ‘People’s PMQs’ via a
live Facebook streamBen de Pear: rejection of
traditional TV media has
led to a breakdown of trust