Don't Mention the War

David Miller

Description

The media has told us for over twenty five years that the conflict in Northern Ireland is irrational and has ‘no objective social basis’. The role of the British Army in Northern Ireland is still described as a peacekeeping one: the cause of the ‘troubles’ as ‘terrorism’. Yet, even in the light of the peace initiatives, many people in Britain and abroad know little about the war that has not been called a war. Why is this so?



Don't Mention the War explains some of the fundamental reasons why there is such a dearth of knowledge and concern about Northern Ireland and how the problem has been defined both publicly and politically. Miller argues that the central strategy of the British state since 1969 has been to contain the troubles and bring about a return to ‘normal’. In pursuing this argument, Miller examines the strategies and tactics used by the British government, the nationalists, the unionists and others to influence perceptions and ideas about the conflict through press statements and other information management activities.



This is a unique and timely work, based on over 100 interviews with journalists, government officials, political activists and politicians, which lays bare the lies of the propagandists and paints a disturbing picture of the success of the media managers in manipulating our perception of the conflict in Northern Ireland.
Acknowledgements

List of Illustrations

List of Appendices

Introduction

1. Policing the Media: Intimidation, Secrecy and Censorship

2. The Development of Propaganda Strategies

3. Public Relations as a Propaganda Tactic

4. From 'Terrorists' to 'Freedom Fighters' International Coverage of Northern Ireland

5. Misinformation and Public Belief: The Case of Gibraltar

6. Conclusion: Winning the Information Battle

Appendices

References

Sujets

• Irlanda del Norte
• International relations
• Northern Ireland
• Media studies
• Science
• Irlande du Nord

Informations

• Publié par: Pluto Press
• Date de parution: 20 octobre 1994
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781783718320
• Langue: English

Extrait

DON’T MENTION THE WAR
DON’T MENTION THE WAR
Northern Ireland, Propaganda and the Media
David Miller
First published 1994 by Pluto Press 345 Archway Road, London N6 5AA
94 95 96 97 98    5 4 3 2 1
Copyright © David Miller 1994
The right of David Miller to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Miller, David Don’t mention the war: Northern Ireland, propaganda and the media / David Miller 368pp. 23cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-7453-0835-X 1. Northern Ireland in mass media. 2. Violence in mass media. 3. Propaganda, British. 4. Mass media policy — Great Britain. 5. Mass media and public opinion. I. Title. P96.N67M55 1994 070.4'4994160824—dc20     94–28457                                                    CIP
ISBN 9780745308357 (hbk) ISBN 074530835X (hbk) ISBN 9780745308364 (pbk) ISBN 0745308368 (pbk) ISBN 9781783718320 ePub ISBN 9781783718337 Kindle
Designed, typeset and produced for Pluto Press by Chase Production Services, Chipping Norton 0X7 5QR
Printed on demand by Antony Rowe Ltd, Eastbourne
For my father, Robert Miller, who would have approved.
To those journalists who have asked the right questions.
Contents
Acknowledgements
Abbreviations
Introduction
1
Policing the Media: Secrecy, Intimidation and Censorship
2
The Development of Propaganda Strategies
3
Public Relations as a Propaganda Tactic
4
From ‘Terrorists’ to ‘Freedom Fighters’: International Coverage of Northern Ireland
5
Misinformation and Public Belief: The Case of Gibraltar
6
Conclusion: Winning the Information Battle
Appendix A : Unattributable briefing documents issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 1980–93
Appendix B : Cost of press, public relations, advertising and marketing by official bodies in Northern Ireland
Appendix C : PR staffing levels in official bodies in Northern Ireland
Appendix D : Groups taking part in the general audience study
Appendix E : Groups taking part in the Gibraltar study
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Acknowledgements
In writing this book I have accumulated many debts, most of which I will probably never be able to repay. A myriad of people helped by sharing their time, expertise and knowledge and by helping to trace information and people. For help with cuttings, press releases, obscure speeches and other documentation thanks to John Conway for allowing me access to the BBC cuttings library in Belfast, Anne Crilly, John Foster at the NUJ, Michael Goodall of the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland, Ted Howell and Pat O’Hare of the Sinn Féin Foreign Affairs Bureau, Oliver Kearney, Marian Laragy and Helen Dady at the Irish Information Partnership, Bill McGookin of the RUC, Paddy and Barra McGrory, Niall Meehan, Fr. Raymond Murray, Michael Ritchie at the Committee on the Administration of Justice, Bill Rolston, Mike Tomlinson, the Ulster Information Service, Robin Wilson, Jane Winter, George Woodman, the Librarian at Stormont. For asking questions in the House and finding other bits of information, thanks to Mike Brown MP, Frank Dobson MP, George Galloway MP, Kevin McNamara MP and Tom Lyne. The Northern Ireland Information Service were also very helpful, at least in the early stages of the research. Special thanks to Liz Curtis and Aly Renwick for access to the voluminous Information on Ireland archive and to Liz for endless conversations, tips and information. Thanks to David Maguire for his encyclopaedic (and pedantic) knowledge of Irish history. Gerard McLaughlin helped immensely with introductions and contacts as well as providing accommodation in the McLaughlin guesthouse The Cheapest Place in Town . Thanks also to Cahal McLaughlin in Belfast and Jim Curran in Derry for recording local news bulletins. For help in tracking down British propaganda materials and other pieces of information overseas thanks to Pat Doherty, Jack Holland, Fr. Sean McManus, Rita Mullan and Aogan Ó Maolchatha.
No researcher with a genuine interest in the Northern Ireland conflict can ignore the wealth of materials housed in the wonderful political collection at the Linenhall library in Belfast. The contents of the collection and the immense helpfulness of Robert Bell, Bern Kane and their colleagues have been essential to the completion of this book. Every major city should have its own version. Unfortunately it seems that some elements of the Republican Movement do not share my admiration: in early January 1994 the IRA placed fire bombs in the Library, which narrowly avoided destroying the entire collection.
Understandably many of those who helped did so on the condition that they would remain anonymous. My thanks to all of those journalists, activists and civil servants who supplied me with information and views, especially those who spoke openly when they might have chosen not to.
For help with the organisation of audience discussion groups thanks to Kate Phillips, George Greig and Bob Turner at the WEA, Kathy McMaster at SACRO, Malcolm Thwaite at Glasgow School of Art, Jane Miller, Robert Miller, Jeanne Barsby in Chislehurst, Janis Anderson in Harrow, John Hunter of Hammersmith police station, Lt. Col. P.N.P. Watts of the Royal Military College of Science in Swindon, Major David Magee and Major J. P. Hannan, RAEC, Redford Barracks, Edinburgh and the Ministry of Defence for allowing me access to the soldiers. In Belfast thanks to Roisin McDonough, Maggie Bowers at Dee Street Community Centre, Hazel Bruce of the Shankill womens group, Mr Bahman at Farset, Dr Jack Spence of Suffolk Community Services Group, Stevie Johnston at the Falls Community Council. Thanks also to Phil Radcliffe at Manchester University for the American groups. Lastly thanks very much to all those who participated in the audience discussion groups, for putting up with my questions.
I am indebted to my colleagues at the Glasgow University Media Group for their criticisms and advice on early drafts of the material contained here. Thanks to John Eldridge, Lesley Henderson, Jenny Kitzinger, Greg McLaughlin, Jacquie Reilly and especially to Greg Philo.
I typed most of this myself, but thanks to Kathleen Davidson for typing the first draft of Chapter 5 and especially to Joanne Yuill for coping so good humouredly with endless ‘extra bits’ and changes.
Thanks to Pressdram Ltd for permission to reproduce the cover of Private Eye , Colin Wheeler for permission to reproduce his cartoon from the Independent and the Los Angeles Times for permission to reproduce the Wasserman cartoon from the Boston Globe . Thanks are also due to the Deputy Keeper of Records, Public Records Office of Northern Ireland and the Copyright Officer, Public Records Office, Kew, for permission to publish from Crown papers and to the BBC for permission to publish from papers held at the Written Archives Centre.
Lastly, my love and thanks to Emma Waddell and to Caitlin Miller, who was born days after the first draft of what follows was finished.
David Miller Glasgow, August 1994
Abbreviations
BBC
British Broadcasting Corporation
BBCNI
BBC Northern Ireland
BIS
British Information Services
BSC
Broadcasting Standards Council
CAB
Cabinet files (PRO/PRONI)
CAJ
Committee on the Administration of Justice
COI
Central Office of Information
CPGB
Communist Party of Great Britain
CPI
Communist Party of Ireland
DG
Director-General (BBC)
DPP
Director of Public Prosecutions
DUP
Democratic Unionist Party
FCIC
Force Control and Information Centre
FO
Foreign Office files (PRO)
FCO
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
HO
Home Office files (PRO)
IBA
Independent Broadcasting Authority
IDB
Industrial Development Board
INLA
Irish National Liberation Party
IRA
Irish Republican Army
IRD
Information Research Department (FCO)
ITC
Independent Television Commission
MoD
Ministry of Defence
NIIS
Northern Ireland Information Service
NIO
Northern Ireland Office
NITB
Northern Ireland Tourist Board
OVIS
Overseas Visits and Information Studies Division (COI)
PACE
Police and Criminal Evidence Act
PMG
Postmaster-General
PREM
Prime Minister’s Office files (PRO)
PRO
Public Records Office
PRONI
Public Records Office of Northern Ireland
PTA
Prevention of Terrorism Act
RUC
Royal Ulster Constabulary
SACHR
Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights
SACRO
Scottish Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders
SDLP
Social Democratic and Labour Party
UDR
Ulster Defence Regiment
UFF
Ulster Freedom Fighters
UUP
Ulster Unionist Party
UVF
Ulster Volunteer Force
UWC
Ulster Workers Council
WAC
Written Archives Centre (BBC)
Introduction

B ASIL F AWLTY (to Polly) Listen … Don’t mention the war … I mentioned it once, but I think I got away with it all right … (He returns to his guests.) So it’s all forgotten now and let’s hear no more about it. So … that’s two egg mayonnaise, a prawn Goebbels, a Herman Goering and four Colditz salads … no, wait a moment, I got a bit confused there, sorry …. (from Fawlty Towers , BBC Television, in Sadler and Hallyar 1985)
This book emerges from wide-ranging empirical research conducted between 1988 and 1993. It is an attempt to examine the process of mass communication from the genesis of media strategies, through the production of news and other factual accounts of the Northern Ireland conflict, to the content of press and television reporting. It also attempts to examine the impact of the media on public opinion and belief.
The research for this book draws on over 200 interviews with both sources and journalists. Amongst the former were serving and former Information Officers and administrative civil servants in the Northern Ireland Office, Royal Ulster Constabulary, Ministry