Politics and the Media: A Crisis of Trust?

Abstract

This article focuses on some of the key political communication events of 2003. It examines the government's effort to shape public opinion prior to the invasion of Iraq. It looks at how the media covered the war and the public's viewing habits during this period. The article then focuses on the government's relationship with the news media, looking at the conflict between the government and the BBC over claims that Downing Street had ‘sexed-up’ the evidence on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. It then examines the investigation into the suicide of Dr Kelly, the source of the allegation, by the Hutton Inquiry. It also outlines the changes to government communications implemented in the wake of the Hutton Inquiry. The article concludes by considering the extent to which trust in government communication has been undermined by these events.

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