NEWS ANALYSIS: Bad News

This government has a worrying track record for knee-jerk reactions to tabloid headlines. Given the media’s current obsession with binge drinking should alarm bells be ringing for the trade, asks Ben Grant

Tuesday November 28 saw the release of some of the most positive news for the drinks trade in recent years, but reading through the next day’s papers you’d scarcely have noticed it. The Office of National Statistics (ONS) issued a report indicating a steady decline in the number of binge drinkers, suggesting that the responsible drinking message may, finally, be hitting home. But rather than applauding this progress the national press opted to either bury a brief story in the middle of the paper, or totally ignore it. Far greater exposure in the morning papers was given to the previous boozy exploits of actor David Jason, who was photographed drunk at an awards ceremony the previous evening. The stories about Del Boy were all ostensibly “critical” but, typical of the nudge-nudge, wink-wink approach that pervades the British attitude towards alcohol, the undertone of the editorial actually saluted his behaviour, reinforcing the uniquely British cultural anomaly that drunkenness is “cool”.

The limited exposure given to the positive news of November 28 stands in stark contrast to the weight of coverage when there is a negative story about alcohol. Whenever new surveys are released highlighting the dangers of drink, it is bellowed from melodramatic front-page stories. This decidedly unbalanced reporting is, of course, hardly surprising; the powerful anti-alcohol lobby holds significant sway and, of course, bad news sells far more papers than good. But the issue that should be giving greatest cause for concern to the drinks trade is the unprecedented closeness between the current government and the media, coupled with the temptation for an outgoing premier to implement “legacy” legislation.
‘Special’ relationship

There has always, by necessity, been a working relationship between Downing Street and Fleet Street (as was). But under New Labour this connection has become far more pronounced than ever before. On one hand there is Number 10’s obsession with media management, trying desperately to control the news agenda. While on the other hand the Blair government is uniquely sensitive – and responsive – to what the papers are saying.

There are many examples of this governance-by-headline. The serious issues of immigration and policing paedophiles moved rapidly up the political agenda as a result of tabloid furore. A media storm about lenient sentences being dispensed by judges resulted in an immediate Home Office review. And the government finally turned its attention to the junk we feed our schoolchildren, but only after a celebrity chef turned it into headline news. Last month plans were unveiled to recruit “super nannies” to deal with Generation Asbo. When a government policy lifts its name directly from a television programme there can be little doubt about the role that the media plays in setting the agenda.

Major problem
There is undoubtedly a major problem inherent within the drinking culture in the UK and, indeed, across much of Northern Europe. Average per capita consumption is not unduly high compared to our Southern neighbours, but there is a serious issue with the tradition of short, sharp bursts of heavy drinking, resulting in drunkenness, injury and major health and social issues. But to pin the blame for this culture solely on the trade is as naive as it is incorrect.

We desperately need to shift away from the uniquely British concept of drunkenness as a badge of honour. This trait tends to be apparent among young people in many cultures, but elsewhere people soon grow out of it. The UK needs to make a seismic shift whereby loss of control as a result of alcoholic over-indulgence is a cause for shame, not pride. The media must play a proactive role if this is to happen.In order to combat the problem there must be a more realistic categorisation of what binge drinking actually is. According to official government guidelines, as stipulated by the ONS, a binge drinker is somebody who consumes twice the recommended daily allowance at least one day per week. That’s eight units for a man or six for a woman; not exactly the level of consumption that’s going to bring about the imminent collapse of society as we know it. In fact, such a strict definition means that an enormous number of us are technically “part of the problem” without even knowing it. The issue that must be addressed is the notion of drinking to get drunk, but this lack of clarity simply clouds the situation.

Lack of awareness

Education must also become a more pressing priority. Smoking, drugs and sex education are all covered by the national curriculum, but alcohol awareness is conspicuous by its absence. A small number of schools include alcohol lessons at their own discretion, but there is no consistent, mandatory programme that teaches all young people the limits of acceptability. Perhaps, in the continued drive to demonstrate its commitment to addressing the issue, the trade could play a role in financing such an initiative.

Business has become an increasingly popular target for criticism in recent years, frequently with very good reason. But laying the blame for binge drinking squarely at the door of the drinks industry fails to recognise that it is an inherent societal
issue. The cooperation of all parties – industry, government and media – will be required to bring about a meaningful, long-term cultural shift. In the short-term, the trade must be whiter than white if it is to avoid damaging media-inspired legislation from a government notorious for knee-jerk reactions.

INSIDERS’ OPINION

David Williamson, public affairs manager, the Scotch Whisky Association
“Everyone has a role to play in terms of encouraging better attitudes towards responsible drinking. Industry, government and the media must work together to make a sustained and long-term commitment to changing societal attitudes towards excessive drinking. With the issue of drink driving it took two decades of sustained effort by many stakeholders to force a change in attitudes, but it was ultimately a success and drink driving became socially unacceptable. We want to see the same sustained effort to combat irresponsible drinking. The media has a considerable role to play in changing attitudes. The industry is committed to playing its part and we hope that the media
will too.”

Jeremy Beadles, chief executive, Wine & Spirit Trade Association
“Any government has to keep an eye on the media position. The power and strength of the media has increased significantly because of the developments in media delivery. [The internet and 24-hour news channels] have created a constant appetite for new news. The media likes to focus on alcohol partly because it’s such an important part of our culture. “Politicians like to find quick, short-term solutions that can be shown to have a visible impact. But that’s just not possible with this issue; to deal with the culture of binge drinking we need a consistent long-term approach.”

© db January 2007