Power Beyond Scrutiny Media, Justice and Accountability

From MP's expenses to phone hacking, establishment corruption has never been more in the headlines. Yet amidst the din of scandal, there have been seismic silences. Why for instance, did the recent plea bargaining which allowed Britain's biggest arms company to escape bribery prosecution go almost entirely unchallenged? Why did journalists repeatedly highlight questionable evidence that intelligence analyst David Kelly was suicidal prior to his death, and all but ignore evidence to the contrary? Why in 2010 did broadcasters offer an unchallenged platform to critics of Wikileaks but not their supporters? These are some of the questions this book seeks to answer as it navigates the boundaries of public debate in the digital age. In doing so it uncovers a range of news blockages that are more than just accidents of a fragmented, chaotic mediascape. They are ultimately ideological forces which ensure that contestability and dissent remain within definable limits.

Justin Schlosberg is a media activist, researcher and Lecturer in Journalism and Media Studies at Birkbeck College, University of London.

Preface1. IntroductionPART I: COVERING CORRUPTION2. High Crimes3. Framing FoundationsPART II: COVERING THE COVER UP4. Whispers in the Press Gallery5. The Basis of BeliefPART III: COVERING THE LEAK6. The Biggest Story on the Planet7. Behind the Wall of Transparency8. Conclusion