路透社新闻研究所-在多国制造新闻（英）-2022.2-60页_486kb

Summary of "Making news in multinational states" by Rhys Evans

Core Content

This paper explores the challenges and practices of news production and consumption in multinational states, with a focus on the United Kingdom (UK). It highlights the complexities of maintaining impartial and accurate news coverage across different regions and nations within the UK, and examines how these challenges have evolved over time. The author also compares the UK's approach with that of Germany (ARD) and Canada (CBC/Radio-Canada), and considers the future of national communication in such contexts.

Main Viewpoints

• Multinational State Complexity: The UK is not a unitary state but a union state with multiple nations (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland), each with distinct identities and political structures.
• Devolution and Journalism: The devolution process from 1997 to 2014 significantly changed the landscape of UK journalism, particularly in how news is framed and reported.
• News as a Reflection of Identity: News is a key component of national identity and is shaped by the values and structures of journalism. It reflects both the political and cultural fabric of the state.
• Control of National News: The paper raises the question of who should control national news – the unitary state or devolved regions – and explores the implications of this for media coverage and public understanding.
• Challenges in Coverage: UK-wide broadcasters, particularly the BBC, faced significant challenges in adapting to the new devolved political landscape, including ensuring accurate representation and avoiding perceived bias.
• Impact of the Pandemic: The pandemic highlighted the critical role of public service broadcasters (PSBs) in providing essential information, especially in the context of devolved governance.
• International Comparisons: The author compares the UK with Germany and Canada, noting that while the UK has a unique intensity in the debate over devolution, similar challenges exist in other multinational states.
• Media as a Catalyst for Change: The paper suggests that the media can either support or hinder the development of political literacy and informed public discourse, depending on how it is managed and reported.

Key Information

• The UK has a population of 67.1 million, with the majority (84%) in England.
• Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland each have their own devolved governments, while England does not.
• Devolution was not seen as a federal system but as an asymmetrical one, with different levels of autonomy across the nations.
• The BBC and other PSBs faced significant challenges in accurately representing devolved issues, especially in the early years of devolution.
• The 2014 Scottish independence referendum and the subsequent rise of political literacy issues led to increased scrutiny of the media's role in informing the public.
• The paper highlights the importance of "signposting" in news reporting to clarify the relevance of stories to specific regions.
• In Northern Ireland, the BBC has a small number of correspondents, and the challenge is to balance coverage of local issues with the broader UK audience.
• The author found that there was a period of "ignorance" in UK-based journalism about devolution, which affected the quality of coverage.
• The paper also notes the hostility faced by public service journalists in Scotland, particularly during the early years of devolution.
• The research includes interviews with journalists, policy-makers, and politicians from the UK, Germany, and Canada, emphasizing the diversity of perspectives on the future of journalism in multinational states.

Structure of the Paper

1. Introduction: Sets out the challenge of news production in multinational states and the importance of impartial and accurate reporting.
2. The Contested Isles: A Changing United Kingdom: Defines the UK as a union state with multiple national identities and outlines the demographic and political landscape.
3. Devolved Journalism (1997-2014):
   • The "Oh shit" moment (1997-1999): The early challenges of devolution and the BBC's response.
   • The next phase (1999-2014): The struggle to accurately report on devolved issues and the impact of print media decline.
4. From Referendum to Pandemic (2014-2021):
   • The art of the sell: How news is commissioned and pitched to a UK-wide audience.
   • Knowledge gaps: The lack of understanding of devolved governance among audiences.
   • News is "where the journalists are": The role of local correspondents in shaping national coverage.
   • Editorial policies and oversight: The importance of editorial guidance in ensuring balanced reporting.
   • Devolved journalists as targets of harassment: The challenges faced by journalists in Scotland.
5. Reporting COVID-19: Examines how the pandemic affected news coverage and the role of PSBs in communicating essential information.
6. International comparisons: Analyzes how Germany (ARD) and Canada (CBC/Radio-Canada) handle news in their own multinational contexts.
7. The future of national communication spheres: Discusses the implications of the current media landscape and the need for better journalism and policy-making.
8. Making better news in multinational states: a starter for ten: Offers recommendations for improving the quality and inclusivity of news in such states.

Conclusion

The paper concludes that the challenges faced by UK broadcasters are not unique, but the level of debate and scrutiny is particularly intense. It emphasizes the need for better understanding and representation of devolved nations in national media and calls for a more balanced and informed approach to news production and consumption in multinational states.