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How much of a role did Thatcher play in controlling the reportage of key…
How much of a role did Thatcher play in controlling the reportage of key events
The Falklands war, 1982
Decisive role
Bernard Ingham convinced the navy to allow British journalists to go (initially against it) - doing more than his role allowed and no foreign journalists allowed only the chosen task force, thus in full control
Journalists had to use ship to shore system in which reports were scrutinised 4 separate times before publications (no choice though?)
No British pictures of the war for 54 of the 74 days, even when there were they were heavily controlled
Guardian 'worst reported war since the Crimean'
Documents over the Belgrano (not in the TEZ and turning around) hidden until Clive Ponting released (charged with Official Secrets Act), Sun published GOTCHA front cover, shows influence w press
Positive press received during the war the key reason to her 1983 re-election, mass unemployment and failed policies likely to have not been without
Limited role
BBC referred to 'Argentine claims' and 'British claims' Thatcher viewed as 'not one of us'
BBC release the information of the Goose Green raid 14 hours before it happened, giving the Argentinians key informations, although thought it was an attempt to throw off
Most of the issues due to the distance, not gov control eg. Lack of TV coverage and Ship to Shore
Negative impacts due to lack of domestic information - rely on rumours, number of casualties on 3 ships attacked by Argentina at 900 actually 49
Issues regarding national security
Decisive role
1988 Act banned the interviewing of Sinn Fein members, due to Thatchers view that the BBC were to neutral when reporting Northern Ireland
Banning of the 'Secret Society' series due to an episode based on the spy satellite Zircon, BBC offices in Glasgow raided and all material removed, however gov faced very heavy criticism for this
Limited role
Attempted to get ITV show 'Death on the Rock' banned, showcased the SAS shooting of IRA members in Gibraltar, eye witnesses described as being in cold blood. IBA refused to ban it stating it would compromise freedom of speech and liberty
BBC blurred the faces and disguised voices of the Sinn Fein members to get around the ban of interviewing members
Miner's strike (March 1084 - March 1085)
Decisive role
Partisanship of the press, 70% of the press pro Tory, Thatcher and Murdock
Disproportionate attention shown to the violence of strikers, '10,000 arrested and 20,000 injured' diverted attention away to the under-lying issue of the government closing the pits
Bias against Scargill in the media, personalised as 'Scargill's pickets' despite being locally arranged, papers told of his idiocracy and never of the support he received. Sun, owned by Murdock, release 'Mine Fuhrer' about Scargill although pulled from release
Ken Loach had his program in support of picketing pulled, 'Only approved people can make comments'
Back to work movement pushed by the government supported by papers, Sun heavily exaggerating the numbers
Limited role
The majority of the press approved of the government's stance due to distaste with strikes (Sun lost 300m copies), thus no need to control
The Economist said there was a general distaste on Fleet Street towards Scargill and striking
Scargill a divisive figure anyways so deserved criticism? Labour party leader never approved, many of NUM leave to start own union
Battle of Orgreave proved the violent reports right, TV footage showed as being violent and aggressive, although police beating unconscious gained some support