One of the most striking examples of the prevalent levels of ageism still at play in parts of the British media, in my mind, was the ageist hounding of Liberal Democrat leader Ming Campbell in the lead up to his resignation in 2007.
Some of the worst culprits probably think of themselves as progressive in their politics, in particular I am thinking of the Guardian’s political cartoonist Steve Bell, his portrayals (see below) of Ming Campbell relentlessly drew upon negative sterotyping of older people. I normally like Steve Bell’s work, sometimes his sketches makes me laugh out loud, but on this one, his humour was horribly wrong.
At the time criticism of the media was limited, so it’s good to see that BBC Radio Four is going to broadcast next Tuesday an investigation into the whole affair. The programme airs on 23 June from 11am to 11.30.
Presenter Robert Orchard is going to tell the story of how Campbell tried to shake off the unwanted image that he was too old for the job by speaking to key members of the Liberal Democrats, Ming Campbell, and to cartoonists and journalists who portrayed the 65-year-old as ancient and in a wheelchair. It will certainly remind us of the power of image in British politics.
I’ll try and record or “listen again” to the programme with great interest.
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