UCP’s media policy is meant to limit Smith
By Lethbridge Herald on April 26, 2023.
GUEST OPINION
Trevor W. Harrison
Much criticism has followed Premier Smith’s announcement on April 15 of her government’s media policy limiting questions of her. That policy initially limited news media queries to one question per news outlet with no opportunity for follow-up. On Tuesday, the government (somewhat) relaxed the rule to allow individual journalists to ask one question, but again no follow-up.
The latter announcement came in response to a letter sent a day earlier by the Alberta Legislature Press Gallery Association demanding the policy be abandoned.
Most of the criticism has centred on the impact of such limits on democratic accountability. Clearly, political parties have the right to place any limits they wish on media questions. Likewise, all political parties try to control the media. But Premier Smith’s defense of the decision – that we are now in “election mode,” whatever that means – is risible. The election writ is to be dropped on May 1. Until that time, and even until election day, May 29, the UCP is the government and as such should be answerable to the people of Alberta.
The premier’s other defense – that questions are being limited to allow for more questions – involves an almost Orwellian logic, and equally does not stand up to reason. Digging deeper, the UCP’s media policy can be seen as meant to protect Smith from herself.
Political parties and media have a mutual, if sometimes antagonistic, arrangement. Parties provide media with a story; the media provide parties with the story’s exposure. Political parties typically stage events with invited guests. Smith recently spoke at luncheon gathering of the Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce. But, except for a ho-hum story in the local paper, it didn’t make much of a splash, because the media had no meaningful role. If an event takes place and no one knows about it, did it actually happen?
Why then, as it heads into the actual election, does the UCP want to limit the media’s access to Smith? No investigative reporting is needed to answer that question.
Except when announcing billions of dollars in pre-election spending at controlled events, her performances have been less than stellar.
A lot of UCP supporters, having heard her for years as a radio talk show host see her as smart and capable; someone who is adept on her feet; a sure-fire slayer of political opponents. But Smith carries a lot of political baggage from her days in the media. She has said that she has a lot of opinions about everything. These opinions are rarely backed by evidence, however, and many of them – quack Covid-19 remedies among them – have become lightning rods for questions about her judgement.
The peculiarities of talk radio allow a lot of people to be “stars.” Look no further than the land south. Talk radio is well-described as “argutainment,” a venue in which the host riles up an audience with bare-knuckle opinions and clever sound bites. But note that the host has all the power. With rare exceptions, much of talk radio is a one-way conversation in which the host spouts unsupported opinions and if pressed at all has the power to end the call at the push of a button.
The UCP’s one question policy replicates Smith’s role as a talk show host. It metaphorically places her back within the safe confines of the broadcasting booth. It is less a media policy than a Smith policy, as highlighted by the fact that the media restrictions do not apply to other members of the UCP’s cabinet. While they sortie out to face the media, the party’s general has been given a protective jacket.
Trevor W. Harrison is a political sociologist at the University of Lethbridge and co-editor of Anger and Angst: Jason Kenney’s Legacy and Alberta’s Right (Black Rose, 2023).
13-12
Agreed…again, Premier Smith, at times, does not know when to stop talking, thus, her handlers have limited questions of her.
“Abraham Lincoln-Quote-Better to remain silent and thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.”
Perhaps more than a bit too late for Smith?
A one question policy has the advantage of encouraging a wider range of questions in a limited period of time.
pffffft!