The day journalists in Britain struck for freedom of speech
international |
rights, freedoms and repression |
other press 
Thursday July 20, 2006 19:39
by Tim Gopsill - The Journalist August 2006 (NUJ magazine)
When self-censorship went a step too far
21 years ago the British government under Margaret Thatcher and Home Secretary Leon Brittan tried to force the BBC to ban a 'Real Lives' documentary that featured Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein and Gregory Campbell of the DUP. The British government had no problem with Campell, it was the depiction of Martin McGuinness that they objected to.
After the British government lost this battle (click on graphics to save or read readable version of ‘Journalist’ article), and other battles with broadcasters over the exposure of the shootings of the unarmed Gibraltar Three in 1988, they brought in direct government censorship. After that point on British television and radio, actors had to dub over the words of Gerry Adams and martin McGuinness. The censorship went on until well after the first IRA ceasefire in 1994.
Soon after the BBC-ITN strikes a similar strike took place in RTE over similar self-censorship.
Could it happen again today?
