"I want to see how objectivity is made" Bruno Latour

Written
19 Dec 1998

Commentary © copyright 1998 Mike Holderness; moral rights are asserted.

Reporting opposition under war conditions

The following reports from Ceefax and Teletext are reproduced under Fair Dealing: for the purposes of comment and criticism, it is necessary to reproduce entire reports.

Such reports are generally swift re-writes of the "Press Association wire" story which provides the starting point for all other printed and broadcast reports. The Press Association originated as a co-operative jointly owned by all the newspaper groups. Its reports are thus close to "raw journalism" before particular news organisations have applied their spin or, occasionally, their own reporters' input. There are, however, interesting differences in selection and editing between Teletext (produced by the same company as the Daily Mail) and BBC Ceefax. Produced as rapidly as possible, under circumstances such as this PA wire reports often contain verbatim chunks of official and police statements. Only if protesters get it together to fax a statement to the PA within minutes of their action - and are available to be called back to verify the fax - do they stand any chance of being quoted.

Interesting and less-mainstream reports often appear on Teletext and Ceefax during the night, to disappear before dawn.

The PA report of this event was carried in the Telegraph and the Sun but not the Guardian or the Mirror.

P 112 Ceefax 1 [National] Sat 19 Dec * 03:15:00

Officers hold Downing St protesters

OFFICERS GRAPPLE WITH IRAQ PROTESTORS

Police arrested three men protesting over British strikes against Iraq - on the doorstep of 10 Downing Street.

The demonstrators were wrestled to the ground by armed officers.

Labour MP George Galloway, who had chosen the protest delegation, and an Arab lawyer were led away by police.

Earlier, five police were hurt as they clashed with about 30 protesters who tried to burn a US flag in Whitehall. Officers made five arrests.

P 333 Teletext [London Region] Dec19 03:22:00

MP IS MOVED ALONG FROM SCUFFLES

Three men grappled with armed police as they were arrested on the doorstep of 10 Downing Street at a demonstration against the air strikes on Iraq.

The men had visited with Labour MP George Galloway, who was also led away.

Mr Galloway said: "These situations are unavoidable, but earlier as I addressed the demonstration I had appealed for a peaceful, non-violent protest."

P 161 CEEFAX [London region] Sat 19 Dec 03:54/14

FIVE QUIZZED OVER IRAQ PROTEST UNREST

Five men are to be quizzed after scuffles during protests against the bombing of Iraq.

Three men were arrested outside 10 Downing Street on Friday night. Unrest also broke out in Whitehall, where five policemen were injured.

Some demonstrators threatened to kill officers and a US flag was burned in the street.

One policeman received facial injuries and another was hit with a bottle, but nether needed hospital treatment.

P 332 Teletext [London Region] Dec19 03:22:34

POLICE HURT IN PROTEST SCUFFLES

Five protesters have been arrested and five police officers have suffered minor injuries as scuffles broke out at an anti-war demonstration in Whitehall.

Demonstrators had attempted to burn an American flag to protest against the bombing of Iraq by the US and Britain.

They were among 200 packed into a pen outside the Minstry of Defence and by the entrance to Downing Street.

What an interesting selection of language we have here.

Simply to list the chapter headings of a possible discussion, in the order in which they occur:

Interesting, the stress on "armed officers". It is well-known that police at 10 Downing Street carry weapons. Take-home message: "don't try this at home, kids"
Will the Tories demand that George gets the chop? Will Mandelson?
George asked for a peaceful non-violent protest. He got one. Check: how many of those arrested describe themselves as nonviolent activists? "Peace" is not the opposite of "quiet" or of "anger", it's the opposite of "war"... and what words were used in the "threat to kill"? Take-home message: "Nasty people. Forbid your kids to go."
Five officers were injured. I shall be asking the Met what the other injuries were. None needed hospitalisation, which will be a cause for relief to their families. It appears that none needed stiches or more wound dressing than would be appropriate for a graze. Take-home message, however: "Even nastier people -vs- bobbies defending something-or-other"
"Packed into a pen" - interesting that the PA hack thought this noteworthy, and that it got through the editing and "guidance" process...

Also in the news:

P 331 Teletext [London Region] Dec19 03:40

Five officers hurt in demonstration	332
MP led away from skirmish by police	333
Firms lining up to run state school	334
Police chief in anti-racism promise	335

Bill star acquitted of intimidation	336
Jail switch for terrorist prisoners	337
TV firm fined £2m after "fake" film	338
Remand for DJ accused of sex attack	339

Driver in court after teenagers die	340
Commons' "chief doorkeeper" retires	341
Dome's catering contract sparks row	342
Spice Girls play Santa for patients	343

The most radical statement here comes from Paul Condon. Odd that he should choose such a time to make the announcement, though.
The terrorist transfer story is entirely what you'd expect in the middle of such a remote-control war. It's agreed anyway, but now it can be done with less criticism from the pro-Loyalist Right than at any other time.
Pinochet has disappeared from the textual news, though it is on BBC World.
If the US could organise a coup in Chile against an elected government... is the difference in Iraq (a) that the government is supported by the army, purely out of fear, ignorance and heathenness; (b) that there is, treasonous thought, significant popular support; or (c) other?
"Washington and London are persuaded that this is the best way. Many others are not." [ Jeremy Bowen, BBC News, 04:36]
When did the virtual war kick in? What media-management strategy led to nearly two days of effective news blackout, including obvious censorship of the Baghdad-by-night feed, before the laser-guided-bombs-going-down-chimneys showed up?
"The Russian withdrawal of their Ambassadors provides another good reason for Operation Desert Fox to be brief... " [BBC World, ca. 04:40]; what we see here is the US Chiefs of Staff, Clinton and Blair getting their bombs dropped before opposition - by citizens who oppose the killing, by nuclear-armed Permanent Members of the Security Council and by those pesky windbag diplomats - can kick in.
November 1999 Deep, deep silence from all the above-named on Boris Yeltsin's assertion that the Russian bombing of Chechenya has exactly the same legal status as NATO's bombing of Serbia - or better, in some readings of international law.

politics index