MEDIA STUDIES
Seeking after truth in a small country
ALAN COCHRANE
The non-appointment of Paul Routledge as political editor of the Express is a case with which everyone is familiar and, while I sympathise with my colleagues in London, I would like to introduce them and others to the peculiar variation on this theme which faces journalists in Scotland. Here we have a situation where the size of the country and of its political establishment makes life if not necessarily more difficult then at least a good deal more interesting for the seek- ers of truth. One of the principal effects of the road to devolution on which we are all now embarked is that Scottish newspapers are now much more concerned with what is happening in their back yard than with events at Westminster. All the major par- ties here are busy selecting candidates for the first Scottish parliament in 300 years; they are in the process of outlining specifi- cally Scottish policies for the delectation, or otherwise, of the voters in that election and the battleground is not Blair versus Hague or Blair versus anyone, but Dewar versus Salmond.
The result is a press which has become markedly different from that in England, and the difference becomes more obvious with every day that passes. It is a problem which English newspapers, which hope to sell in Scotland, are finding a thorny one. Should the Times or the Telegraph, for exam- ple, continue to cater for a 'British' audience in Scotland, or should they, like the Mail, create a Scottish product? Both broadsheets have increased their staff in Scotland but neither appears ready, yet, to grasp this Scottish — or British —thistle.
If and when they do, they will discover that reporting the political situation in Scotland is growing increasingly complex. For one thing, those who think that chart- ing the Westminster scene has become akin to walking on eggshells, for fear of earning the wrath of Alastair Campbell and his cronies, should spend a week or two north of the Border. You think you have troubles with cronyism? You ain't seen nothing!
Let me give you the best example of what is happening. There has been a good deal of fuss recently about the appointment of Gus Macdonald as Scottish industry minis- ter: yet another example, we are told, of Gordon Brown putting his friends into positions of influence. But I would like you to look at it from another perspective alto- gether — it has been the friends of Gus who have been put into positions of influ- ence, albeit aided and abetted by Brown. As everyone knows, Macdonald stepped down as non-executive chairman of Scottish Television to take up his new appointment. However, this is but the latest in a long line of appointments linking his company with Scottish Labour.
Donald Dewar's special adviser on 'spin' is David Whitton, formerly corporate affairs director under Macdonald. Cam- paigns co-ordinator for Scottish Labour is Lorraine Davidson, a former political reporter with Scottish Television. Her pre- decessor was Paul McKinney, whose tenure was ill-starred and extremely short-lived. He left Macdonald's employ to join Labour and is now returning to the teleVision com- pany. He is, of course, a former Commons researcher for the Chancellor. Hot off the presses this week comes news that John Brown, who just happens to be Gordon's brother and who currently tries to massage the message for Glasgow City Council, is joining Scottish Television as head of news and current affairs — once he has enjoyed his holiday in Cape Cod with big brother, that is. Do not forget either that Brown maximus was, before he entered politics, a reporter with, yes, you've guessed it, Scot- `I've got nothing against gays, but I wouldn't many them.' tish Television.
Nor should anyone overlook Macdon- ald's steady rise through quango and NGO since Labour took office last May. As Scot- land on Sunday charted last weekend, Mac- donald was awarded a CBE a month after the election; was invited to beef up the Scottish Economic Council in August last year; in September — to the surprise of many conservationists — he was appointed chairman of the Cairngorm Partnership, a body widely seen as a precursor for the area becoming a National Park; in April this year he was made a board member of Scot- tish Enterprise; and now, following his ele- vation to the ministry, he is soon to become a life peer. All this and a director of the Bank of Scotland, too.
The Scottish establishment has always been a small one — to say that this country is run by 50 people is probably a gross exag- geration. Furthermore, it has for many years now been an establishment with defi- nite Labour, or at least anti-Tory leanings. The difference we are now experiencing is that we have two men, Gordon Brown and Gus Macdonald, dominating the entire scene. Between them they now operate, or at least influence, most of the power levers. The rest of the establishment, including the vast bulk of the business community, seems not to mind so long as, together, Brown and Macdonald defeat the Nationalists.
The press, which is also predominately Unionist, should be in a different position. Make an enemy of one part of the new elite and you risk making enemies of it all; yet making enemies of politicians is what the press is supposed to be about. So far the Scottish press has been reasonably robust in its attitude towards Labour. It remains to be seen whether this will remain the case, as the pressure mounts in the run-up to the Scottish parliamentary elections next May and with the SNP continuing to scare the living daylights out of Labour. A small country — which we now realise we are with a small number of power-brokers is becoming ever smaller through the accu- mulation of power in so few hands.
Perhaps this is what they meant by devo- lution.
Alan Cochrane is deputy editor of Scotland on Sunday. This is one of a series of guest Media studies during Stephen Glover's absence.
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