What is absolutely fascinating about this blog exchange between John Prescott and Adam Boulton is the fact that it’s happened in public. Where in the past would a politician have been able to hold a reporter to account in this way? To try it in a TV studio was almost pointless as the TV class don’t really like being accused of trivia, bias or idiocy and they tend to look after each other.
The Internet challenges elites. On this occasion, Prezza has turned the tables using his own self-publishing platform. Good on him. And in a funny sort of way, good on Adam Boulton for having the savvy to defend himself in an equally forthright way on a blog. For the record though, I’m 100% behind John on this one.
Above all else though, the exchange was another chip at the base of TV’s ivory tower.
7 comments ↓
You’re a Labour MP and you support John Prescott against the media. Is this supposed to be news ?
Tom
Agree with near all you say.
The internet can and does challenge elites – but Prezza v Boulton?
I’d like to think if I- or any one of a thousand other bloggers – had done the eaxt same ting as Prezza, I’d now be engaged in a head to head accountabilty exercise with Sky’s main man. But it helps to be a former Deputy Prime Minster I guess.
So lay off the “challenging elite stuff in this instance – this was a civil war amongst them
Ayewecan – Yeah, I know that. Of course I know that. But there’s nothing so redundant as an ex-deputy PM.
He’s getting stuck in with a blog. And Adam Boulton had to respond. So really I was saying that the Internet is the winner in the battle, albeit not very well.
Rob – This is a personal blog not the front page of the Guardian site. So if you want news, it’s probably not the place to visit.
by the way , i think what Prezza is doing on the web is admirable, strategic, and pretty cool for a guy of his age and prestige.
he was also bang on on his defence of Mandy and attack on the insider media reporting of the custard thrower, who of course could have been throwing anything. But becuse it was at somebody they “dont like” and gave them great shots they coud endlessly repeat ( a repetiotion that will surely encourge others?_) it seemed this was ok
TV’s ivory tower? That’s a bit rich, coming from the Westminster ivory tower. At least I can turn sky off whenever I like and choose from a number of media outlets anytime. But I’m stuck with you lot for 5 years at a time.
I am really impressed by the way John Prescott is using the social media in combination so expertly both as a political tool and as a way of maintaining his public profile.
I wonder – is he the most new-media savvy politician in the UK? http://innovationandenterprise.blogspot.com/2009/03/working-class-hero-is-something-to-be.html
adam bolton is paid alot of money to be anti labour ,it is his master whom he serves and has no intrest what so ever to report any thing in a balanced way. the way he reacted to gordon brown statement this afternoon and his outburst with mr campbel shows that he is so frustrated to the point he wants to change the rules just to justify a tory government.adam remember that the people voted for party system and not an american presedential election. iam very disapointed with sky to let him run the show in that manner,i wonder why sky only pulled 4 million viewers when he hosted the debate between the leaders.
Leave a Comment