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2020 | OriginalPaper | Chapter

4. Managing the Media and Pro-war Spin

Authors : Judith Betts, Mark Phythian

Published in: The Iraq War and Democratic Governance

Publisher: Springer International Publishing

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Abstract

This chapter analyses the way in which each leader managed the media agenda and contrasts the more challenging media landscape of the UK with the more compliant media landscape in Australia. Both sought to manage the media but Blair’s commitment to persuading public opinion of the need to confront Iraq resulted in the production of public dossiers that had no equivalent in the case of Australia. Despite his obsession with controlling the media agenda, Blair came under attack from a media diverse in its ownership and views. In contrast, Howard proved effective in his ability to use talk-back radio to bypass the Parliamentary Press Gallery and talk directly to the Australian people, while also benefiting from the pro-war position taken by the Murdoch press.

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previous chapter Prime Ministerial Dominance: Cabinet, Party, Parliament and the Bureaucracy
next chapter Managing the Consequences of War: Post-war Inquiries
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Metadata
Title
Managing the Media and Pro-war Spin
Authors
Judith Betts
Mark Phythian
Copyright Year
2020
Book
The Iraq War and Democratic Governance

Print ISBN: 978-3-030-50318-5

Electronic ISBN: 978-3-030-50319-2

Copyright Year: 2020

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50319-2_4