Influences on Parliamentary Law Making

1. Influences on Parliamentary Law Making The Media

2. Starter • What other media campaigns can you think of – successful and unsuccessful?

3. Objectives • Describe the main features of the media • Explain why the media is a successful form of influence on parliament • Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the media as an influence on Parliament

4. What constitutes the media? • Discuss all the medium that you think could be considered ‘The Media’ • Channels through which information is transmitted – TV, newspapers, magazines, radio etc. • Clear connection between the media and public opinion • Two way communication Public and Government via media • Often pressure groups use the media as part of their campaign

5. Media and public opinion • Newspaper often campaign to reform the law. • Can you think of any recent examples of campaigns and the newspapers that started them? • There is often pressure to change the law from a number of influences working together (e.g. pressure groups and the media) • Example – The Double Jeopardy Rule – resulted in the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (retrial after compelling new evidence) • Stephen Lawrence Case – acquittal – media pressure – Law Commission • Carry out the Snowdrop Case Study

6. Advantages • Raise government awareness and inform them of concerns held by public – Snowdrop is a good example of this • Media also raises public awareness – which helps the government convince the public to accept its electoral mandate

7. Disadvantages • Radio and TV required to remain politically neutral not the case with newspapers – Newspapers can become politicised • Newspapers out to make money – have an agenda to sell newspapers – Daily Mail and Princess Diana • Easily whip up a moral panic in the public – News of the World ‘Name and Shame Campaign’

8. Media and Pressure Group – Case Studies • In your groups carry out the research for the Campaign you have been assigned to and prepare a 4 minute legal brief for the rest of the class. You have 10 minutes to prepare your brief. • Group 1 – Zito Campaign • Group 2 – Sarah’s Law • Group 3 – Fathers 4 Justice

9. Advantages • Complete the short advantages and disadvantages exercise matching examples to either a disadvantage or an advantage. Advantages and disadvantages of media and pressure groups Identify an example from the list below to accompany each of these advantages and disadvantages of the influence of media and pressure groups. There is not necessarily one single correct answer!

10. Objectives • Describe the main features of the media • Explain why the media is a successful form of influence on parliament • Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the media as an influence on Parliament

11. Homework • Your task tonight is to research the Campaign by the previous government to ban fox hunting. • You will need to research both sides (the anti-hunt lobby and the Countryside Alliance) as well as the political stances of the parties concerned. • You may also try and consider what type of law this was (although we will be returning to this in later lessons) • You will be using this information in your consolidation lesson next so make plenty of notes.