Video: Tony Blair 'decided against taking on the media' Mr Blair said that his priority was to sort out the problems of the country when he came to office and the by focussing instead on the role of the media he would not have been able to address those bigger issues. "It's not that I was afraid of taking them on," explained Mr Blair, " but I knew that if I did (I would be) in a long protracted battle that would shove everything else to one side whilst it is going on."