Opinion

Tom Kelly: Canny politicians understand that the media has a job to do

Tom Kelly

Tom Kelly

Tom Kelly is an Irish News columnist with a background in politics and public relations. He is also a former member of the Policing Board.

Seamus Mallon&nbsp;<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;; ">understood how the relationship with the media worked</span>. Picture by Mark Marlow/Pacemaker Press
Seamus Mallon understood how the relationship with the media worked. Picture by Mark Marlow/Pacemaker Press Seamus Mallon understood how the relationship with the media worked. Picture by Mark Marlow/Pacemaker Press

Last week I received some unexpected praise from former President Mary McAleese on the Miriam O’Callaghan Show.

This was because of a column I wrote in support of McAleese when she was being vilified by the southern establishment during her campaign for the Aras in 1997.

Back then there was a strong anti-northern bias amongst the media in the Republic and to a lesser extent this still exists in some of the tired and outdated commentary. McAleese was and is no shrinking violet but even she admitted the relentless nature of the media attacks made her consider pulling out of the election. Thankfully she didn’t.

But in becoming president and a successful one at that, McAleese in her fourteen years transformed the atmosphere and attitude towards the north.

McAleese is no less sensitive to media criticism than any other politician. But she has not got a glass jaw. She knows how to take things in the round. So many of today’s politicians just don’t get it.

Just look at Donald Trump. The man cannot take the simplest and most courteous question from the press without throwing a tantrum. And that is in the very civilised setting of the White House lawn where American journalists are almost reverential in their treatment of the president. It is doubtful if Trump could deal with the onslaught of a media briefing in Britain or Ireland. And thankfully so. The media has a job to do.

Fortunately, my political grounding started with the late Seamus Mallon. Whilst he did not have much time for incompetency or fools, he had respect for most journalists. Though he took no prisoners when it came press briefings. He was combative but in an engaging way.

Unlike some of his successors he did not hold a grudge - leastways not for too long.

Shortly after Mallon’s election Conor O’Clery of the Irish Times waxed lyrical about his maiden speech. A month later and O’Clery tore into Mallon in an extremely critical editorial piece. Mallon wryly responded to this writer saying: “Well if that’s what I can expect from my friends - I’d better sharpen up!” He instinctively understood how the relationship with the media worked. He was a great believer in what he dubbed “the judicious leak”.

And of course, any journalist attending press conference hosted by him and David Trimble knew they would leave with something quotable from Mallon.

Compare then to now, when press conferences from the Executive Office appear robotic, staged and stuffy. The repetition of the same things being said by both speakers doesn’t help either. There is also an increasing tetchiness at the question and answer session between the first and deputy first ministers and journalists. Though in fairness some of that is created by the rudeness of certain journalists.

A huge weakness for any politician with a message to convey is damaged credibility. The ongoing threat of Covid-19 has done nothing to help Michelle O’Neill and others in Sinn Féin to move on from the fallout of the Storey funeral. When they ask people to observe health measures to combat the coronavirus, the message to the public simply doesn’t sync.

Sinn Féin complain this is an issue driven by the media but it’s the public who are rattled by the double standards.

Some political parties seem incapable of grasping that the media doesn’t exist to oppose them. But nor is it an echo chamber for their views or proponent of their fake news.

Whether in Britain, Ireland, Europe or the USA, not since the 1930s has there been a greater need for a robust free and independent media. There is a real fear that right wing extremists, certain media moguls, privileged elites and mischief making disruptors see in the current political, economic and social instability an opportunity to kill off or suppress elements of the independent media.

Press detractors are rampant, so it is time to mount a defence.