The Iron Lady

   The Iron Lady hits the UK theatres at the best moment for the Conservative. The movie featuring the former prime minister, Margaret Thatcher's struggle with the single currency and workers' union reflect what is happening right now. We are fed up with Euro crisis and unions' strikes. I am sure the present Prime Minister, David Cameron, is happy with the movie supporting him.

Meryl Streep as Thatcher

   Last month Cameron refused to sign up to changes of EU treaty and bailout plan to save Euro while the other 26 member countries reached an agreement. Despite the strong criticism from France, Germany and the UK Labour Party, Cameron's veto was widely approved by the UK citizens. In addition, this movie seems to show that Thatcher and Cameron were right; both of the Conservative politicians never compromised on Euro.
   The movie also reflected on the days when people throw away rubbish bags on the street and nobody clean them up because unions were so strong decades ago. That reminded me of the nationwide industrial action in November and Tube strike on Boxing Day. Cameron could also be tough on unions, I think.
   What would this movie be like if the Labour was in power now? Or, would this movie be released when we have a prime minister for the Labour? I don't know if the PR team for the movie has waited the timing for long time, it's working well. At least, I felt sympathy with Thatcher as well as the Conservative.

Newspapers heavily depend on PR

   More than half news stories in daily newspapers come from PR source; Nick Davies reveals a striking report filed by researchers from Cardiff University. In his book, Flat Earth News (2008), the Guardian's reporter attacks the corrupted newspaper industry. As I had worked as a journalist for 12 years until last summer, I got interested in what he says and took a look at a newspaper in the UK.

   The 29th of December 2011 issue of the Guardian. Three articles carried clear sign of PR. The one discussing house prices occupied half of page 5 with a photo and the list of expensive addresses. The source is Lloyds TSB which sets the embargo for their press release at after 00:01 hours 29 December. The other from the charity named Barnardo's contributed to a quarter of page 13, criticising rent-to-own credit firms of charging too much on customers at their press release. There was also a small article on page 17 about Sainsbury's staff trained to help "hidden carers" with Carers UK. This is "old" news because the charity has already issued the press release a month ago. In addition, two articles are generated from the government's reports: "One in four hospital patients 'could be recovering at home'", "Low-carbon energy 'no dearer than doing nothing'".
    Five of these articles are all about statistics as Davies states "PR fabricates pseudo-evidence, surveys, polls and specially commissioned research. Surveys are a favourite, usually for commercial PR, usually released on a Sunday to fill the news vacuum of Monday morning's papers." As for the Guardian's articles, it was after Christmas and there are few people working, no schools. Apparently journalists must have had difficulty in picking up fresh news, gave up and then searched for usable releases. With fewer journalists and more commitment on online articles such as real time blogs, journalists don't have enough time to find original, exclusive news.
    "So is public relations taking advantage of a weakened news media system?" Coombs and Holladay (2010) says shortly "yes" and go on to argue "As the news media increasingly need a media subsidy, public relations benefits and may have a greater ability to shape news content." I think it also means public relations practitioners should be as responsible and ethical to what they produce as journalists. Be careful with a con man. Don't work with representatives from problematic countries.