Close relations between journalists and politicians are not necessarily in the interests of the wider public, a former newspaper editor will argue in a free public lecture this week.

Opening the prestigious Stevenson and Adam Smith Research Foundation lecture series – which this year is on the theme of ‘Citizenship and the Role of the Media’ - former editor of The Herald newspaper, Harry Reid will speak about what he describes as: “the irreconcilable conflict between journalists and citizens.”

Harry Reid, who holds an honorary doctorate from Glasgow University for services to Scottish journalism, said: 

“There is a perpetual and irresolvable conflict between the ultimate interests of journalists and the mass of citizens. So although many - probably most - citizens do benefit from much print journalism, the main efforts of most newspaper proprietors, editors and journalists are not motivated by concern for the wellbeing or life improvement or even security of most citizens. Close relations between journalists and politicians too are not necessarily in the interests of the wider public.

“The best print journalism tends to be specialised and by implication elitist, and is rarely about the everyday concerns of Joe Public.

“On the other hand, genuinely popular mass journalism tends to be concerned with entertainment and trivialisation rather than shining light into dark places or helping a nation to understand itself. These tensions are exacerbated, not eased, by the current growth of citizens' journalism, when the pretence is that everybody can be a journalist.”

Free and open to the public, the hour long lecture starts at 7pm on Thursday 8 November in the Sir Charles Wilson building, University Avenue, Glasgow.

First published: 5 November 2007

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