Interesting Links for 15-10-2014

[andrewducker]

• Chemical contained in broccoli extract could offer help for autism symptoms
  (tags: autism food )
• Eight signs your boyfriend is cheating
  (tags: funny relationships )
• South Korean ID system to be rebuilt from scratch (Completely unfit for purpose)
  (tags: identity korea technology )
• Ireland to abolish 'Double Irish' tax structure
  (tags: taxes ireland

Comments

[gonzo21]

The media sure do enjoy giving UKIP one heck of a lot of coverage.

[andrewducker]

They do. But it's not a conspiracy - it's what makes eyeballs, and what's easy.

If the Greens were as good at organising interviews and working well with the press then the press would enjoy giving them coverage too.

[gonzo21]

You would think there would be a Green-orientated media-friendly celebrity ~somewhere~ that they could recruit, if the party is entirely lacking anybody with some charisma. Just... as you say, something to get some eyeballs on them.

[chess]

Unfortunately the Greens are saddled with a complex platform because they have something that might actually work, whereas it's much easier to speak clearly and charismatically about your one-track xenophobia.

[kerrypolka]

Yes, exactly. Good policy is inherently media unfriendly.

[andrewducker]

"Good policy is inherently media unfriendly." sounds like the kind of thing people say to themselves because they're rubbish at selling their policies.

_Any_ detailed policy is inherently media unfriendly, because the media thrives on simplicity and soundbites. This does not let politicians off from finding ways of breaking out the big picture of their policies and getting people to believe in them. It is part of their job to find ways of explaining their ideas in ways that people can understand and appeals to them, and if they aren't doing that then they are failing.

The Green Party is selling the future of the world and support for society's least-well-off. If they can't find a way of selling that then they should bloody well find someone competent and get them to do it for them!

[kerrypolka]

I agree with you and I'm not sure why you're internet-shouting at me! My point is that with UKIP explicitly jettisoning thinking about policy to focus on making people feel afraid so UKIP can tell them "don't worry we'll protect you", it's not surprising that the people who are generally unhappy with the main parties are going for the 'other' party that's entirely focused on getting their attention, rather than the 'other' party that is spreading its focus to thinking about good policy too.

[andrewducker]

Sorry, didn't mean to shout at you - I was just annoyed at the statement (and the Green Party. And other parties that don't seem to understand the general public.)

I agree that UKIP have it easier, because their policy doesn't seem, to me, to have any depth beyond "Let's get out of Europe, because that would make everything better.", so there's no need to go into any kind of distracting depth.

[kerrypolka]

But I don't think that 'Good policy is inherently not media friendly' means 'politicians don't have to bother communicating well with the public', it's just acknowledging that the more complex policy is, the more difficult it is to do so.

Let's get out of Europe and freeze immigration for several years! And maybe build some kind of giant sea wall....

[kalimac]

You were shouting because of the word "good". It's not the policy's goodness that makes it media-unfriendly. It is, as you said, the inherent complexity of any policy, good or bad.

[erindubitably]

I really want to have a go writing down some of the Green Party policies in snappy soundbytes now that I've been to a few meetings and have read up a bit. It really shouldn't be that hard to do - as you say, they're selling good stuff!

[andrewducker]

Go for it - you'd be doing them a big favour!

[gonzo21]

And the media remain deeply unwilling to talk about climate change in a serious manner.