We must face it. The political system has changed. Playing catch-up won’t bring back the old order.

At its heart is an epochal transformation in the means of communication. In its wake this has remade the skill set required for political success.

Chasing the 24/7 news cycle is not enough. That is a game designed to be won by populists who are instinctively emotional, angry, personal and ubiquitous. They never shut up.

It’s an unequal match for most traditional politicians and a media once considered the “feedback mechanism of democratic system management” – the fourth estate. It was regulated and operated with professional norms to ensure accuracy, independence and authority.

It wasn’t perfect but owners, editors, journalists and even politicians took this quasi-institutional role seriously. At its best profitability or public ownership ensured independence – at its worst owners exploited the political influence of media ownership for personal gain.

In its place is a business-political model has evolved which cares nothing about accountability. It has refined the worst of the old system into an extraordinary influence and money-making machine.

This approach is now shared by populists and social media platforms – activate anger, fear and threat to mobilise and monetise. Some of the richest people in the world are happy to throw their money at ensuring the populists who thrive on, and foster, volatility........

© The Guardian