THE RECENT hunger strike, and particularly the death of Bobby Sands MP, generated a massive amount of coverage. For years people active in support of freedom had complained of the almost total lack coverage: now, suddenly. it came in a tidal wave. sheer quantity disarmed many of the critics. But what of the quality of the coverage?
Like a lot of other people, I spent much of the hunger strike with my ears glued to London's commercial "all news" radio station, LBC. Recently I listened to a tape, made by the coverage iot Boksto Sandal Lunes coverage of Bobby strike during the week of 25 April to 3 May, immediately preceding death.
The quality of this coverage, with its consistent bias with virmally all the mass media goes some way towards explaining why the British public, unlike the rest of the world, remained so adamantly sympathetic to the hunger strikers' LBC has what amounts to an obsession with "what is happening' Virtually all of the coverage consisted of a commentary on immediate events - a bit like the way horse races are reported spiced with speculation about what might happen in the next day or two.
The concept of years than days as meaningful units of time appeared foreign to LBC. Events were presented like "happenings" instant, unrelated, without history. At no point during the entire week did LBC examine the background to the hunger strike, which of course stretched back into the carly seventies.
Nor did they look at the various alternative courses of action open to the government, or consider the effects that Bobby Sands' death might have on political developments in the future.
The reporting centred on Bobby Sands' steadily worsening condition, statements Unionist politicians, and on an interminable commentary on movements of the Pope's HaTer Magee, who visited Bobby Sands that week.
But evén the reporting of immediate events Several events were never mentioned. While an LBC reporter did attend the funeral of an RUC man killed by the Irish National Liberation Army, there was no reference at all to the funeral of 15 year old Paul Whitters attended by some 1,000 people who had been killed by a plastic bullet fired by the RUC.
LBC never mentioned the protests in support of the hunger strikers in the South of reland, and ignored the calls by numerous figures for the government to change its stance: that week these included 60 media frish of The perhaps hunger This a bias shared rather Instead, and The speculation the envoy. about the violence.
inadequate.
tionalist Short story, later cast doubt on it.
Oliver Hughes, members of the Portuguese Parlianent, the Socialist Group in the European Parliament, French Communist Party leader Georges Marchais and Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
the international concern was brushed aside with the recurring phrase, the 'IRA propaganda war" Tyrie, La word that was used several times — was mainly tion.
possiblity of large Some of it was based on black propaganda: LBC, along with most of the media, swallowed whole the statement by Northern reland Secretary Humphrey Atkins that the RA was planning to burn the naStrand district of Belfast and blame it on the Loyalists. *1 think that most of the morning papers in London have gone on this said the LBC reporter. Both The Times and Guardian reporters LBC's bias was very evident when it came to interviews. Of the eight in terviews done in the North of reland, only one was with a person who supported the hunger strikers — this was brother of hunger striker Frankie Hughes. There were three interviews with Unionist MPs (Official Unionist leader Molyneaux, Unionist William Ross and Democratic Unionist leader lan Paisley).
There was an interview with Andy leader of the Lovalist paramilitary Ulster Defence AssociaLabour's Northern spokesperson Don Concannon was interviewed at a press conference. There was an almost inaudible interview with two women watching the funeral of an RUC man. Then there was an interview with two Beifast Catholic women whose views on the hunger strike remained undefined.
The interview with Tyrie was almost obsequious. It even included the quee tension is the result or the question. 'How much do you undoubted publicity campaign of the Provisional: OVCr the past days..?* The interview was done in the context of the UDA's mobilisation of 1,200 men on the streets - yet the fact that it is a paramilitary organisation was never mentioned.
It also apparently escaped the notice of LBC that there have been many calls - even from "respectable" Jim quarters such as the SDLP banning of the UDA because of its suspected involvement in sectarian assassinations.
There were five interviews done in Britain, plus broadcast. Two of the interviews the briefest demonstrating in prisoners. and the parliamentary speaker, supported the government's position.
pro-prisoner USA. LBC put these firmly in the context of the channelling and well-organised elements who are keen to exploit the present unrest"
view of the hunger strike, as well as T211 l ovalist *tears" tighter security, reported, other points of view scarcely got a look in.
Bobby Sands' hunger strike - it was widely acknowledged that almost the SDLP device bulletins the tempt such Officer parliamentary the sum were with people support All the other interviewees, There were also two interviews device, the Propaganda wai . the f funds to the IR/ pro-IRA anything While the British government's war' side. demands for were extensively By this time — the last week of whole of the nationalist community in the North believed that the government should concede to the prisoners. Yet the LBC listener would never have known it. Even the views of the and leading Catholic :lergymen went unmentioned The lack of interviews with Provi sional Sinn Fein particularly striking in view of the fact the LBC reporter several times says.
For 'Provisional Sinn says. practical problem about seing them.
LBC along with most media, generally referred to Bobby Sands as 'IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands': the fact that he was an MP was usually disregarded, and with it the significance of his position and the popular support for him.
We were several times informed that he was on a 'self-imposed fast' or involved in "self-imposed starvation", prevented understanding of the issues underlying the hunger strike.
A constant theme of the reporting was the supposed TRA propaganda war'. This phrase, or variations on it, occurred in half the week's Descriptions of Bobby Sands' condition were usually accompanied by a comment from the reporter stressing that they came from Provisional Sinn Fein. who were engaged in a 'propaganda war", The clear implication was that they were not to be trusted.
In contrast, the statements of the government, the Unionists and the UDA were not described as being part of a 'propaganda war'. This implied that they, unlike the Republicans, were to be taken seriously.
LBC's reporters, like the rest of media. never опсе challenged the concept of the IRA propaganda war*. They never described the much-vaunted "IRA propaganda machine' nor compared it with its British counterparts.
Perhaps the only reporters to atdescription was Neil Huide, of told how sinn Pein Press Hickey of the American Richard McAuley labours daily, with other volunteers, dingy, barricaded building on the decayed Falls Road... *Do you know total of the famous Republican propaganda machine that everyone talks about?" He paused, and tapped his chest. "I'm it..
The concept of the 'IRA propaganda war' was never recognised for what it was: a British properanda designed to discredit and minimise the widespread support for the hunger strikers in the nationalist community and internationally.
If this one week's coverage was to go by. might reasonably conclude that LBC was itself a participant in the 'propaganda on the British government's The Local Radio Workshop taped the total output of the London local radio state ons in the weck 27 April to 3 May.
material described doove 1s d small part of this. The Workshop will be publishing a report in the New Socialiet Challanne 10 Dorpeha: 1001 Hono 1E
Socialist
----- pull-quotes -----
Teen taling Tol Provisional STmn Fun and they say; Clearly there was no