The Role of the Media in the Reform of School Management

Abstract

The part that newspapers and broadcasting have played in creating the more competitive environment in which schools were expected to operate as a result of the Education reform Act is analysed. It is argued that the media were expected to play an active role in increasing parental expectations and in disseminating and developing consumer information in the form of performance tables, school rankings and inspection reports. Though issues of public interest were undoubtedly involved, some of the commercial reasons which encouraged newspapers to comply are described. One result has been media attention on education at unprecedented levels for a decade and some of the repercussions of this are discussed.