https://www.theguardian.com/politic...-drowned-out-by-corbyn-memes?CMP=share_btn_tw
It is unfortunate that the Guardian’s rejection both of Jeremy Corbyn as a viable leader and the party’s policies as “unlikely to win over Tory-leaning voters” (Editorial, 10 May) was published the day before the leaking of Labour’s draft manifesto. This contained a series of proposals on investing in public services, taxing the wealthiest and scrapping tuition fees that are not just viable but popular with millions of people.
Our concern as media educators, however, is that whole sections of the media are already committed to a narrative that paints Labour as unelectable and Corbyn as a barely credible candidate. This is not a new phenomenon. Academic surveys have shown how newspapers belittled him from the moment he won his first leadership election, while broadcast bulletins systematically gave more coverage to his opponents than to his supporters. Serious discussion of Labour’s proposed policies has been negligible – drowned out by memes focused on Labour’s apparent lack of opposition and Corbyn’s lack of leadership. We are not asking for eulogies of Corbyn, but for reporting that takes seriously the proposals contained in the manifesto and that doesn’t resort to a lazy stereotype of Corbyn as a “problem” to be solved.
Prof Des Freedman Goldsmiths, University of London
Prof Greg Philo Glasgow University
Prof Bev Skeggs Goldsmiths, University of London
Prof James Curran Goldsmiths, University of London
Prof Joanna Zylinska Goldsmiths, University of London
Prof Annabelle Sreberny Soas
Prof David Miller University of Bath
Prof Mica Nava University of East London
Prof Graham Murdock Loughborough University
Prof Natalie Fenton Goldsmiths, University of London
Prof Julian Petley Brunel University
Prof Christian Fuchs University of Westminster
Prof Kate Oakley University of Leeds
Prof Gary Hall Coventry University
Prof Jonathan Hardy University of East London
Prof David Buckingham Loughborough University
Prof Mike Wayne Brunel University
Prof Allan Moore University of Surrey
Prof Andrew Chadwick Royal Holloway, University of London
Prof Michael Chanan University of Roehampton
Prof John Storey University of Sunderland
Prof Martin Barker Aberystwth University
Bart Cammaerts London School of Economics
Justin Schlosberg Birkbeck, University of London
Milly Williamson Brunel University
Michael Bailey University of Essex
Gholam Khiabany Goldsmiths, University of London
Jill Daniels University of East London
Mike Berry Cardiff University
Tom Mills Aston University
Joss Hands Newcastle University
Einar Thorsen Bournemouth University
Nancy Thumin University of Leeds
Richard MacDonald Goldsmiths, University of East London
Anandi Ramamurthy Sheffield Hallam University
Rinella Cere Sheffield Hallam University
Michael Klontzas University of Huddersfield
Ken Fero Coventry University
Pat Holland Bournemouth University
Josh Cunliffe Birkbeck, University of London
Dan Ward University of Sunderland
Savyasaachi Jain Swansea University
Victoria Lowe University of Manchester
Paul Ward Arts University Bournemouth
Jane Dipple University of Winchester
Richard Smith Goldsmiths, University of London
Jamie Medhurst Aberystwth University
Caroline Ruddell Brunel University
Simon Cross Nottingham Trent University
Joanna Redden Cardiff University
Seth Giddings Winchester School of Art
Andreas Wittel Nottingham Trent University
Jeremy Bubb University of Roehampton
Johnny Walker Northumbria University
Tassia Kobylinska Goldsmiths, University of London
Peter Jones Sheffield Hallam University
Kostas Maronitis Leeds Trinity University
Dean Lockwood University of Lincoln
Ceiren Bell Goldsmiths, University of London
Shohini Chaudhuri University of Essex
May Adadol Ingawanij University of Westminster
Shelley Galpin University of York
Ian Lamond Leeds Beckett University
Martin Hall University of Stirling
Gary Morrisroe University of Salford
Jon Baldwin London Metropolitan University
William Proctor Bournemouth University
Margaret Gallagher Freelance
It is unfortunate that the Guardian’s rejection both of Jeremy Corbyn as a viable leader and the party’s policies as “unlikely to win over Tory-leaning voters” (Editorial, 10 May) was published the day before the leaking of Labour’s draft manifesto. This contained a series of proposals on investing in public services, taxing the wealthiest and scrapping tuition fees that are not just viable but popular with millions of people.
Our concern as media educators, however, is that whole sections of the media are already committed to a narrative that paints Labour as unelectable and Corbyn as a barely credible candidate. This is not a new phenomenon. Academic surveys have shown how newspapers belittled him from the moment he won his first leadership election, while broadcast bulletins systematically gave more coverage to his opponents than to his supporters. Serious discussion of Labour’s proposed policies has been negligible – drowned out by memes focused on Labour’s apparent lack of opposition and Corbyn’s lack of leadership. We are not asking for eulogies of Corbyn, but for reporting that takes seriously the proposals contained in the manifesto and that doesn’t resort to a lazy stereotype of Corbyn as a “problem” to be solved.
Prof Des Freedman Goldsmiths, University of London
Prof Greg Philo Glasgow University
Prof Bev Skeggs Goldsmiths, University of London
Prof James Curran Goldsmiths, University of London
Prof Joanna Zylinska Goldsmiths, University of London
Prof Annabelle Sreberny Soas
Prof David Miller University of Bath
Prof Mica Nava University of East London
Prof Graham Murdock Loughborough University
Prof Natalie Fenton Goldsmiths, University of London
Prof Julian Petley Brunel University
Prof Christian Fuchs University of Westminster
Prof Kate Oakley University of Leeds
Prof Gary Hall Coventry University
Prof Jonathan Hardy University of East London
Prof David Buckingham Loughborough University
Prof Mike Wayne Brunel University
Prof Allan Moore University of Surrey
Prof Andrew Chadwick Royal Holloway, University of London
Prof Michael Chanan University of Roehampton
Prof John Storey University of Sunderland
Prof Martin Barker Aberystwth University
Bart Cammaerts London School of Economics
Justin Schlosberg Birkbeck, University of London
Milly Williamson Brunel University
Michael Bailey University of Essex
Gholam Khiabany Goldsmiths, University of London
Jill Daniels University of East London
Mike Berry Cardiff University
Tom Mills Aston University
Joss Hands Newcastle University
Einar Thorsen Bournemouth University
Nancy Thumin University of Leeds
Richard MacDonald Goldsmiths, University of East London
Anandi Ramamurthy Sheffield Hallam University
Rinella Cere Sheffield Hallam University
Michael Klontzas University of Huddersfield
Ken Fero Coventry University
Pat Holland Bournemouth University
Josh Cunliffe Birkbeck, University of London
Dan Ward University of Sunderland
Savyasaachi Jain Swansea University
Victoria Lowe University of Manchester
Paul Ward Arts University Bournemouth
Jane Dipple University of Winchester
Richard Smith Goldsmiths, University of London
Jamie Medhurst Aberystwth University
Caroline Ruddell Brunel University
Simon Cross Nottingham Trent University
Joanna Redden Cardiff University
Seth Giddings Winchester School of Art
Andreas Wittel Nottingham Trent University
Jeremy Bubb University of Roehampton
Johnny Walker Northumbria University
Tassia Kobylinska Goldsmiths, University of London
Peter Jones Sheffield Hallam University
Kostas Maronitis Leeds Trinity University
Dean Lockwood University of Lincoln
Ceiren Bell Goldsmiths, University of London
Shohini Chaudhuri University of Essex
May Adadol Ingawanij University of Westminster
Shelley Galpin University of York
Ian Lamond Leeds Beckett University
Martin Hall University of Stirling
Gary Morrisroe University of Salford
Jon Baldwin London Metropolitan University
William Proctor Bournemouth University
Margaret Gallagher Freelance
