Television History

Politics and terrorism on television

Politics on US television (I) 1940 Republican National Convention televised Senate hearings on a criminal case televised in

1951 Edward R. Munrow’s See It Now 1954 has an

important role in bringing down senator McCarthy Before the 1952 presidential election Robert

Montgomery teaches Eisenhower how to appear relaxed on telly

1952 Nixon saves his career by giving a homey television speech

In the first ever presidential election television debate in 1960 with Kennedy Nixon is ill, appears furtive and looses the election. Radio listeners find him convincing

Politics on US television (II) Kennedy begins broadcasting of presidential press

conferences Kennedy talks to the nation on TV during the

attempted at the Bay of pigs and the Cuban missile crises

As Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas television has a major role in the process of national mourning

President Nixon attempts to control television by appearing and addressing the nation in sponsored programmes

During the 1972 visit to China television treats Nixon adoringly

Television has a major role in making the Watergate scandal public and causing Nixon’s fall

Vietnam war on television Individual events shown on television

Self-immolation of buddhist monk Quang Duc as a protest against South Vietnam government

Shooting of a tied prisoner at close range Little children burned by napalm

Television programmes about the war: Morley Safers: Vietnam (1967) Felix Greene: Inside North Vietnam (1968) Peter Davis: The Selling of the Pentagon (1971)

Massive anti-war demonstrations are broadcast Public opinion in the US turns against the war

Attempts by the state to control television broadcasting in Britain John Reith on 1926 general strike: “Assuming the BBC is for the

people, and that the Government is for the people, it follows that the BBC must be for the government in this crisis too.”

The Suez crisis of 1956: Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden claimed this was an instance of a national emergency and that therefore the BBC should only present the government views on the matter. Yet the opposition demanded the right to reply to the broadcasts of Eden and his ministers

As troubles in Northern Ireland began in 1969 the government made it clear that TV companies were not to remain neutral. Both BBC and ITA adopted a line of ”responsible news broadcasting”.

The Question of Ulster (1972) narrowly escaped being shelved Self-censorship of material related to torture used in

interrogations of suspects of terrorism in the 1980s.

In the 1980s the claim that Northern Ireland security forces would have adopted shoot-to-kill practices is not discussed critically

An interview with a representative of the Irish national Liberation Army almost leads to the Attorney-General to press charges against the BBC on the grounds of anti-terrorist legislation.

The Conservative Government expresses its dissatisfaction with BBC coverage of the Falkland war and USA’s air strike on Libya (1982)

Greece: The Hidden War (CH4, 1986) Treatment of British army interference with Greek domestic politics leads to strong complaints by powerful figures in the British military establishment

Zircon scandal in 1988: Duncan Campbell is commissioned by BBC Scotland to make a programme on an espionage satellite, the costs of which have never been approved in any parliamentary body / the programme is shelved / Campbell publishes his discoveries in the New Statesman / police raids Campbell’s apartment and BBC Scotland offices in order to find evidence of a breach of silence act.

Broadcasting on terrorism

800 million people follow live broadcast of negotiations with the Palestine terrorists during the Munich Olympic Games → increase of aircraft hi-jackings

In Spain ETA has lost its support as reports on bomb attacks and anti-terrorist marches have been broadcast

The assassination of Lord Mountbatten 1979 turns out to be a major propaganda loss for the IRA

US media follows mercilessly President Carter’s failure to solve the Teheran hostage crises

Human interest in hostage dramas – ’Handholding’