[Media-watch] FW: URGENT PRESS RELEASE - CAMPAIGN CONDEMNS PRESS CENSORSHIP OFIRAQ CRISIS

david Miller david.miller at stir.ac.uk
Thu Mar 20 17:02:52 GMT 2003





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From: "Tom O'Malley" <tp.omalley at virgin.net>
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2003 16:43:49 -0000
To: "
Subject: URGENT PRESS RELEASE - CAMPAIGN CONDEMNS PRESS CENSORSHIP OF IRAQ CRISIS

 

CAMPAIGN ATTACKS PRESS CENSORSHIP OF IRAQ CRISIS 

 

SIR RAY TINDLE, OWNER OF 130 LOCAL AND REGIONAL PAPERS HAS TODAY DECLARED THAT HIS PAPERS WILL NOT COVER ANYTHING ŒWHICH WOULD ATTACK THE DECISION TO GO TO WAR¹ 

 

THE CAMPAIGN FOR PRESS AND BROADCASTING FREEDOM CONSIDERS THIS AN ACT OF OVERT CENSORSHIP AT A TIME WHEN THE UK NEEDS OPEN DEBATE ABOUT THIS CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE. IT IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE INVIDIOUS POWER THAT PROPRIETORS HAVE OVER THE CONTENT OF THE PRESS. 

 

Barry White, National Officer for the CPBF comments: 

ŒSir Ray Tindle has decided to the readers of his 130 titles access to vital information needed to understand the war. 

 

ŒThis act of censorship denies the basic principles of a free press, is an imposition on his employees. Sir Ray should allow full and frank coverage of these issues in his publications.¹ 

 

Contact Barry White on: 0774 607 419 (m) or at the CPBF on 0208 521 5932 

The Campaign For Press and Broadcasting Freedom is a UK wide organisation with a membership of individuals, trade unions and community groups which has campaigned for press freedom since 1979. 

 

 

The article in which Sir Ray has declared his intention to censor his publications is copied below. 

 

 

The following article appears in the Monmouthshire Beacon,  Thursday 20th March 2003, p.6 

 

ŒBACKING FOR THE TROOPS 

 

With the prospect of war with Iraq almost inevitable, The Beacon is totally behind the British troops in the Middle East. 

 

Our Proprietor, Sir Ray Tindle, who is chairman and Editor in Chief of Tindle Newspapers Ltd., said that everyone recognised that Tindle family newspapers have no political bias. 

 

However, he said that , when British troops come under fire during the conflict in Iraq, he was anxious that nothing should appear which would attack the decision to conduct the war in which those troops were involved, nor, of course anything which attacked the troops themselves. 

 

³I do this, not just as a proprietor to the newspapers, but as someone who served as a British soldier from 1944 to 1947 in the Far East² said Sir Ray. 

 

³I know that what our men need most at this time is the felling of confidence that they are being backed by the folks back home, and are fighting for them². 

 

He said normal newspaper practice would be resumed immediately the ³ceasefire² was given, when any withheld letters or reports may be published, but in the meantime there would be total support for our men and women in the Middle East while they are under fire.¹ 

 

 

 

Email: beacon.ads at internet-today.co.uk 

 

 

 

 




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