Why do tabloid press barons have so much power in Great Britain? The Washington Post offers an explanation that never really occurred to me before:
In Britain, money plays a smaller role in politics than it does in the United States, and politicians have few ways to communicate effectively with the public outside the media filter. Television advertising plays no significant role in campaigns; for the most part, it is not allowed.
An American politician who feels aggrieved by the media can buy television spots to answer them. His British counterparts have no such option. Elected officials must depend on the good graces of newspapers for favorable coverage.
File this under “watch what you wish for,” I guess. In America, vast pools of money in politics give the business community enormous power to influence elections. That’s bad. But the alternative, apparently, is to get the money out and instead give media moguls enormous power to influence elections. Pick your poison.
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