“The Scottish media landscape is a dismal one right now and Christopher Silver has made a valuable contribution to the debate on how to rebuild it.”
Iain Macwhirter
“With a few notable exceptions, the Scottish mainstream media has not been able to rise to the challenge presented by the growing self-determination movement. When it isn’t hopelessly biased towards a status quo that will never thank it for its efforts, it is cowed, apologetic and sinking rapidly in its own irrelevance. It needs a radical overhaul. This book not only reiterates why this has to happen, but also shows us how it might come to pass.”
Irvine Welsh
“We need a strong, diverse and healthy media in Scotland, probably more than at any point in recent history. This is a thoughtful, thought-provoking and important book for everyone who cares about journalism, society and democracy.”
Maurice Smith, author of Paper Lions
“Christopher Silver is one of the most incisive and interesting analysts of modern Scottish politics.”
Adam Ramsay, Editor, Open Democracy UK
“A provocative, informed and thoughtful account of Scottish media within the context of the referendum on independence written from the ‘yes’ perspective. Whatever a reader’s position on the referendum itself, they will find this book makes a useful contribution to our understanding of Scottish media, including practical suggestions for reform aimed at building democratic debate and strengthening the public sphere in Scotland.”
Dr Emma L Briant, University of Sheffield
“A hugely thoughtful and informative book, moving beyond weary debates over “bias” to sketch the cultural and historical dimensions of a mounting crisis. The frank commentary of insiders lends weight to Silver’s measured account of the decline of the Scottish press, while he is well placed to query the viability — and the adequacy — of crowd-funded citizen media. A compelling read, and a valuable contribution to debate.”
Dr Scott Hames, University of Stirling
“Writer and activist Christopher Silver proposes that a new Scottish media is necessary to the greater demands for political control over national affairs, and in his excellent and timely book he exemplifies one of the key precepts of the Yes movement: ‘Be the change that you want to see.”
Dr Scott Lyall, Edinburgh Napier University
He draws on media theory, history and a fascinating selection of interviews with industry insiders to argue that the ‘sub-national’ status of the media in Scotland, combined with the growing influence of the market, has played a crucial role in both creating and constraining Scotland’s national potential. It’s a powerful argument, presented with didactic clarity.
Rory Scothorne