Why are journalists overlooking the rise of disorder in Britain’s public spaces? What would change if reporting moved away from press releases and back to real conversations on the street? How can media reconnect with the lived experience of everyday civic life?
What does it say about the values of today’s journalists and commentators when they insist that so-called “low-level” crime doesn’t matter because violent crime has declined? Too many in the media have become detached from the realities of everyday life, operating from offices and coffee shops, recycling press releases and social media chatter instead of engaging with the public they claim to serve.
Reporting should return to its roots: speaking to people, observing their lived experiences, and holding power accountable for the quality of social life in our towns and cities.
Anyone who uses public spaces regularly knows that the qualitative experience of civic life in Britain has deteriorated. Anti-social and disruptive behaviour is rife: aggressive shoplifting, street drinking, intimidation, and unregulated amplified busking or preaching. These problems corrode the sense of safety and belonging that makes shared spaces work. Yet when ordinary residents voice these concerns, they are often dismissed as irrational or reactionary by an insulated “lanyard class” that rarely shares these environments.
The mainstream media amplifies this disconnect, focusing on abstract crime statistics while ignoring the visible disorder shaping people’s daily lives. That’s why initiatives like Leicester’s recent public order mandate matter. Despite predictable backlash from campaigners, restrictions on unlicensed amplified busking, protesting, and preaching have transformed the city centre. Visitors now report feeling able to shop, relax, and interact without harassment or noise intrusion – a simple change that illustrates what happens when civic order is prioritised.
Contrast this with collapsing enforcement rates for theft, vandalism, and anti-social behaviour across the country. The message is clear: disorder carries no consequence. This permissiveness fuels mistrust and deepens the perception that rules no longer apply, except to those who still bother to follow them.
To grasp what is truly happening in British towns, journalists should pay attention to independent voices like Billy Moore, whose YouTube content captures raw, unfiltered reality. These perspectives illuminate communities and individuals long ignored by newsrooms because they do not align with the curated narratives and virtue displays of the commentariat.
Low-level crime is not trivial. It is pernicious and symbolic of systemic neglect. A cracked social order cannot be repaired by statistical reassurance; it demands that the media stop dismissing public experience and start reporting on it with honesty. If journalism is to regain credibility, it must abandon the comfort of the echo chamber and return to the street, where the real story is waiting.