Metaspin: Demonisation of Media Manipulation

Abstract

Demonised ‘spin’ is a derogatory form of news discourse where journalists pose as heroic fighters against manipulative politicians and their staffs on behalf of a gullible public. It is underpinned by a bad faith model of politics and a severely blinkered view of political reality. In fact, journalists themselves are manipulative, collaboratively engaged with their sources, and divided about the size of the problem, with more performance-oriented broadcasters being the most rabid demonisers. In New Zealand, where the real offence is slight, metaspin represents a form of ‘laddish’ anti-authoritarian theatre which privatises communicative action.

• Spin
• spin doctor
• demonisation
• metacommunication
• journalist-source relations