Prominent political editors have defended their profession against accusations that the media is responsible for driving a decade of chaos in Westminster. Sky News political editor Beth Rigby and ITV News political editor Robert Peston both rejected claims that journalists revel in political drama, insisting they are simply reporting real events.
Rigby: Criticism 'Stings a Bit'
Beth Rigby, who has served as Sky's political editor since 2019, said the criticisms felt unfair. 'When I see those criticisms, it stings a bit actually, because that's just not my experience of what I'm trying to do and how I try to cover it. When you're at the coalface, I've felt it's unfair.'
'I don't see it as a game. It's not entertainment. What we're doing, what's going on in the country and the leadership crisis, is really serious. It weighs on me,' Rigby added.
Peston: Politicians Are 'Addicted to Crisis'
Robert Peston, ITV News political editor since 2016, echoed Rigby's sentiments. 'The idea that in some way I, or people like me, revel in this is just not right. What we try to do is just tell viewers or readers what on earth is going on.'
'The people who are addicted to crisis are not the journalists. It's the players in the political game,' Peston said.
Counterarguments and Structural Factors
Some journalists have backed the accusation that political reporting revels in chaos. Nick Bryant, a former BBC US correspondent, has argued politics has become a form of 'journalistic entertainment'. 'We, as journalists, are a big part of the problem,' he wrote on Substack.
Tom Baldwin, author of Keir Starmer, The Biography, has said reporters should 'have a good look at themselves about the way they've behaved' in recent weeks.
One veteran political journalist noted structural factors at play, including social media speeding up the news cycle and the ease with which MPs can be reached via WhatsApp. 'Hacks have always liked drama. That's not a new trait and I don't think we caused it,' he said.
Journalists Adapt to Accelerated News Cycle
Rigby said the 'rolling leadership crisis' prevented her from properly researching the king's speech until the night before. 'We're not confecting the news; we're not making it up. It's what is happening and we report it. If there wasn't a rolling crisis, we wouldn't be reporting a crisis.'
Peston said he has regularly faced accusations that his reporting is 'somehow irresponsible'. 'It's tedious. At the end of the day, if we know stuff and we don't put it out there, then rightly people would say that we're playing God or being paternalistic. That's not what journalism is about.'
Both journalists emphasised the need to adapt to social media. Rigby noted the intensity of 24/7 platforms, while Peston said he has learned to use social media responsibly over 15 years on X.
