The UK press and the deficit debate

Berry, Mike ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4136-413X 2016. The UK press and the deficit debate. Sociology 50 (3) , pp. 542-559. 10.1177/0038038515582158

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Abstract

The 2008 financial crisis initially appeared to challenge the sustainability of neoliberal finance capitalism. However, the focus of political and public debate soon shifted to state spending and the need for austerity. This research examines how this shift took place in the British press during 2009. The article begins by charting the rise of neoliberalism and its role in financializing the economy. It then examines how such developments impacted news production and made neoliberal perspectives more prominent in the media. This meant, as the data in this article demonstrate, that the key definers of the crisis in the media were among the strongest advocates of neoliberalism. Reporting of the deficit was characterized by fear appeals, the presentation of misleading data and false comparisons. Finally the article notes the consistent endorsement of austerity measures, by almost all newspapers, despite their consistent history of policy failure during recessions.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Journalism, Media and Culture
Subjects:	N Fine Arts > NE Print media P Language and Literature > PN Literature (General) > PN1990 Broadcasting
Publisher:	SAGE Publications (UK and US): 12 month Embargo
ISSN:	0038-0385
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	4 May 2016
Date of Acceptance:	1 March 2015
Last Modified:	07 Nov 2023 02:52
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/87126

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