‘We’re not making it up’: UK political chaos is not media’s fault, say journalists
The Guardian
Overall Assessment
The article presents a balanced exploration of media responsibility in covering political instability, featuring prominent journalists defending their work while including internal critique. It avoids partisan framing and instead focuses on professional ethics and structural changes in journalism. The tone is reflective and grounded in firsthand experience.
"Tom Baldwin, the author of Keir Starmer, The Biography, has said reporters should “have a good look at themselves about the way they’ve behaved” in recent weeks."
Framing by Emphasis
Headline & Lead 85/100
The headline accurately reflects the article's central argument — journalists defending their coverage against accusations of sensationalism — and avoids hyperbole. The lead clearly sets up the tension between political actors blaming the media and journalists pushing back, establishing a fair frame for the discussion.
✕ Headline / Body Mismatch: The headline quotes a journalist asserting that media are not fabricating chaos, which directly reflects a key theme in the article. It avoids exaggeration and centers a defensible claim from a primary source.
""We’re not making it up": UK political chaos is not media’s fault, say journalists"
Language & Tone 82/100
The tone is largely objective, with emotional language confined to direct quotes from sources. The reporting voice remains restrained and neutral, avoiding sensationalism or moralizing.
✕ Appeal to Emotion: Direct quotes from journalists use emotionally resonant but not inflammatory language (e.g., 'it stings a bit', 'it’s awful'). The reporting voice remains neutral while allowing sources to express personal reactions.
"When I see those criticisms, it stings a bit actually, because that’s just not my experience of what I’m trying to do and how I try to cover it."
✕ Loaded Verbs: The article avoids loaded labels or verbs in its own voice, using neutral reporting verbs like 'said', 'argued', 'wrote'. Charged language appears only within attributed quotes.
"The idea that in some way I, or people like me, revel in this is just not right,” he said."
✕ Appeal to Emotion: Journalists are allowed to express moral concern (e.g., 'bad for our mental health') without the article endorsing it rhetorically, maintaining distance between source and reporter.
"The notion that anybody thinks this [political chaos] is anything but bad for the stability and prosperity of the country, bad for our mental health, is wrong. It’s awful."
Balance 95/100
The article features a robust range of credible journalistic voices, including both defenders and critics of current political reporting practices. Sources are well-attributed, diverse in perspective, and include self-reflection from within the profession.
✓ Comprehensive Sourcing: The article includes multiple named, senior journalists with diverse roles and outlets (Sky, ITV, BBC, Substack), offering a balanced range of perspectives — including both defense and self-criticism of political reporting.
"Beth Rigby, Sky’s political editor since 2019, said: “When I see those criticisms, it stings a bit actually..."
✓ Viewpoint Diversity: It includes dissenting voices within journalism itself, such as Nick Bryant and Tom Baldwin, who critique media behavior, preventing a monolithic 'journalists vs politicians' narrative.
"Nick Bryant, a former BBC US correspondent, has argued politics has become a form of “journalistic entertainment”."
✓ Proper Attribution: Anonymous sourcing is minimal and used only when necessary (e.g., 'one veteran political journalist'), with clear justification implied by the sensitivity of the critique.
"One veteran political journalist said structural factors were also at play."
Story Angle 85/100
The story is framed as a reflection on media practices rather than a political event, which is a valid and insightful angle. It emphasizes accountability on all sides and avoids reducing the issue to a simple 'us vs them' conflict.
✕ Narrative Framing: The article centers a meta-narrative about media accountability rather than focusing on political events themselves, which is a legitimate and important journalistic angle. It avoids reducing the story to partisan conflict.
✕ Framing by Emphasis: It fairly presents both the defense of journalistic integrity and the critique from within the profession, avoiding a one-sided 'blame politicians' frame.
"Tom Baldwin, the author of Keir Starmer, The Biography, has said reporters should “have a good look at themselves about the way they’ve behaved” in recent weeks."
Completeness 80/100
The article provides meaningful context about technological and structural changes affecting political journalism, including social media dynamics and communication shifts. It avoids treating political chaos as purely episodic by referencing a decade-long trend since Brexit.
✓ Contextualisation: The article acknowledges structural factors like social media, the 24/7 news cycle, and increased accessibility of MPs via WhatsApp, helping explain why political reporting has changed. This adds systemic context beyond blaming individuals.
"While social media had sped up the news cycle, he said the sheer volume of outlets – as well as the ease with which MPs could now be reached via WhatsApp – had made it impossible for parties to control the narrative."
Keir Starmer's leadership framed as engulfed in crisis
[framing_by_emphasis]: The article opens with and repeatedly references the 'turmoil' surrounding Starmer’s leadership, setting a tone of instability despite not attributing blame. This framing positions his leadership within a broader narrative of political breakdown.
"Britain could yet appoint its seventh prime minister since the Brexit vote 10 years ago, after the turmoil that has engulfed Keir Starmer’s leadership since Labour’s May election results."
media portrayed as honest and accountable despite criticism
[comprehensive_sourcing] and [proper_attribution]: The article centers journalists defending their integrity, using direct quotes to assert ethical reporting practices. It includes internal critique but ultimately frames the media as striving for accuracy and transparency.
"We’re not confecting the news; we’re not making it up,” she said. “It’s what is happening and we report it."
social media framed as a harmful accelerant to political instability
[contextualisation]: The article identifies social media as a structural force that has intensified the news cycle and eroded narrative control, contributing to chaos. While not demonized outright, its impact is clearly negative in the context of political reporting.
"While social media had sped up the news cycle, he said the sheer volume of outlets – as well as the ease with which MPs could now be reached via WhatsApp – had made it impossible for parties to control the narrative."
journalists portrayed as unfairly scapegoated and defending their role
[appeal_to_emotion] and [comprehensive_sourcing]: Journalists are given space to express personal hurt ('it stings a bit') and moral concern, positioning them as professionals under unfair attack. The framing includes them in the democratic process as essential informants.
"When I see those criticisms, it stings a bit actually, because that’s just not my experience of what I’m trying to do and how I try to cover it."
political leadership portrayed as unstable and ineffective
[framing_by_emphasis] and [contextualisation]: The article repeatedly emphasizes a decade of political chaos, multiple prime ministers, and leadership crises, framing political leadership as dysfunctional. While focused on UK politics, the framing implicitly reflects on Western democratic institutions more broadly, including the US Presidency by association.
"Britain could yet appoint its seventh prime minister since the Brexit vote 10 years ago, after the turmoil that has engulfed Keir Starmer’s leadership since Labour’s May election results."
The article presents a balanced exploration of media responsibility in covering political instability, featuring prominent journalists defending their work while including internal critique. It avoids partisan framing and instead focuses on professional ethics and structural changes in journalism. The tone is reflective and grounded in firsthand experience.
Senior UK political journalists respond to criticism that media coverage exaggerates political instability, arguing they report real events rather than create drama. Some journalists acknowledge valid concerns about sensationalism, while others emphasize structural changes in media and politics. The debate highlights tensions over the role of journalism in democratic accountability.
The Guardian — Politics - Domestic Policy
Based on the last 60 days of articles
The Guardian
No related content