Leveson’s Blind Spot: Race

As someone who’s been on the receiving end of a brutal and concerted six-month long, press smear campaign, in the run up to the 2008 London Mayoral election, I welcome the introduction of statutory press regulation.

The principle target, was of course Ken Livingstone, but anyone close to him, was fair game. That particular campaign was led by the London Evening Standard Editor of the time, Veronica Wadley and Andrew Gilligan whose sole focus was the alleged “cronyism and corruption” at City Hall. Of course what emerged was nothing of the sort and despite a plethora of inquires by a range of statutory bodies and the Metropolitan Police Service, not a single shred of evidence of such, was uncovered.

As for the allegation of “cronyism” both Wadley and Gilligan, were awarded well paid positions directly at the behest of the London Mayor Boris Johnson.

That’s why, I welcome today’s announcement, that there is now, cross party political support for an independent press regulator, which (through a face saving tactical exercise, designed to deflect pressure for David Cameron), will be underpinned by statute, albeit through a Lords amendment, to the forthcoming, enterprise and regulatory reform bill.

The Leveson Inquiry itself was a revelation, exposing the murky world of tabloid journalism and police corruption. The subsequent arrests of the News International starlet and close friend of David Cameron, Rebecca Brookes, the Prime Minister press secretary Andy Coulson, along with senior and mid ranking police officers has well and truly, burst the Westminster bubble.

The cosy elite corruption, that led to the hacking of the Milly Dowler’s parents' phone, the targeting of political opponents through threats to MP’s, led primarily by News International and others, will now, hopefully be a thing of the past.

The very core of our democracy has been debased and public confidence shaken. It’s now time, to lift the shadow cast by this whole affair, begining the slow process of redressing, the balance between the core principles of the individuals right to privacy and the freedom of the press.

However, there has been one fundamental weakness regarding the Leveson Inquiry. Despite several requests both, from prominent black individuals and organisations, the issue of racism in the British press, was never dealt.

The reality of racism in press reporting is not in doubt. My case, exemplifies the most extreme of individual examples, outside that of Winston Silcott.

A particular victim is chosen for special media treatment, to serve some particular political goal or satiate some moral outrage, primarily because of their race or gender.

Such irrelevant detail gives a ‘story legs’, even in the absence of substantive facts.

Any story that contains the basic components of, the “hysterical” woman, black men “money and sex”, produces an almost Pavlovian response from too many journalists.

The prospect of going after a black face in a high place or not elicits almost obscene excitement, as some journalists salivate with their poisoned pens or radio microphones in their endeavour fuel popular prejudices.

The deluge of half truths and innuendos condition a public to more readily accepts stereotypical criticisms of minority communities as credible. These vituperative journalists are keenly aware of that and dispense their bile with relish.

One can think of many a lurid headline, referring to “immigrants” or anything relating to “Islam and the Muslim community”, or “Travellers” all can have journalists reaching for their hackneyed clichés and employing tired, but still very potent, stereotypes.

Race and criminal justice is an area replete with examples of both racist and sexist reporting. The coverage of the riots of August 2011, by some in the media provides, yet another classic example.

Racial prejudice is an irrational and highly emotive fear. Its toxicity makes it uniquely amenable, to a press, seeking to exploit and titillate public emotions in an effort to gain increased audience share. Reporting feeds prejudice, and prejudice feeds the context of reporting.

Make no mistake, part of the cancer at the heart of British media culture, is the reality that racism and sexism sells. That culture also produced the Leveson blind spot on racism and reporting.

Black men and women in public eye and communities more generally, have lived in fear of the rampant racism regularly dished out by certain sections of the media.

Despite the fact that Leveson choose to ignore this important aspect of press reporting in the media, we are hoping that an independent regulator will ensure that such reporting is challenged and eradicated from the British press,

For that opportunity, we have to be thankful to the brave victims both black and white who have stood up and challenged oppressive, biased and unfair reporting. Some with more prominence and credibility than others, precisely for the reasons set out in this article.

It would have been nice to see this reflected in the Inquiry with black victims given the opportunity to tell their stories.

Sadly, and all too often tackling racial prejudice in any meaningful way, be it in the media or anyway else for that matter, seems to be way down the list of priorities.

In the main, we’ll be ignored until that is we have another high tech racist, media lynching, then of course we’re all over the media, 24/7.

Lee Jasper