Leicester expert discusses UK journalism with the BBC
Tor Clark (pictured), Associate Professor in Journalism from our School of Media, Communication and Sociology, has recently appeared on BBC Radio Leicester discussing the current state of UK journalism and the role newspapers played in the outcome of the recent General Election.
During the interview with the BBC’s Jonathan Lampon, Tor discusses how the circulation of many newspapers is in decline, suggesting that they may not be as influential as they used to be, particularly during the General Election, and that many people are getting their news in other ways now, such as online.
During the interview he explains how online access has increased massively for some newspapers, with some having the perception that online news is less biased than print.
While overall circulation of physical newspapers is in decline, Tor lists the Metro and the London Evening Standard as two examples of papers which have seen an increase in circulation, perhaps due to their focus on targeting commuters and young people.
Tor also outlines how social media is becoming an increasingly important platform for disseminating news, particularly for young people. During the General Election campaign, people were given the chance to profess their loyalty for a party through platforms such as Facebook, with Labour having a particularly effective social media campaign.