breakthrough for investigative journalism.
In fact, itis unlikely chat such a programme could have been cen on BBC: NF leader John Tyndall's refusal interviewed would certainly have been used by the BBC hierarchy as the reason to ban a lone-sided documen World in Action proved - difficult condone the literally murder our activities of their local activists:
LIMITS The programine was also a useful antidote to the easy attitude adopted by some on the left thar the media is a simple, ruling class conspiracy hoodwink and mislead working people.
In reality, the owners and controllers of newspapers and radio and TV stations use their considerable power to project their views-of the world. Most of those views are increasingly libera throug:
liberal was. powerfal television tha WARHINOTON Socall Chatta Pangree Socialist milcer ler dean 061 236 2:52 CHEATER MANCHESTER Socialist sper the paper and woul PRESTON So de Chey in be pontected by sten S4516 IVERPOOL Speed Socialist Chal MANCHESTER Challenge clange Challenge Gener IN ONE Important respect, World in Action's showed the weaknesses and limits of the liberal school of journalism. almost That is not meant to be La churlish or sectarian point: 1 have nothing but admiration journalists who spent long and for those still in need of proof their programme and who have -that the Front is led and undoubtedly earned themselves orchestrated by hardliners who a place on the National FrOBE'S boycott list for their pains.
But if the growth of the Front and its violent intimidation of black peopie effectively countered, analysis of the must be beyond the they are nasty, rough typer variety.
The political importance of fascist organisations cannot b measured salcly in clectora terms: the votes won by the Front in recent by-clections and council elections shown a relative decline over previous years, but in other, more squalid, areas they have achieved greater success To the disquiet even of the populist section of the Front, Leeds and Manchester, as we A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR OF "SOCIALIST CHALLENGE" INVENT ?" WHO NEEDS ID INVENT?
CHARACTER A THOUSAND TIMES!
senge LEIGH Sociallet Challenge group will details jing Roy on Asherion se PANE CL LONDON E0.
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Sociulist WA THAM FOREST Socialist nicatheis le Sucialist Challonge tait HACKNEY Seculist Challen See: lernighty 90 EMIMIND as socialist and trade unionist opponents of racin, The populists may squea but Tyndail, cronies. well-versed in history, know that bulding an organisation based on fear and intimidation and anti-racist movement, it also | simple ballor-box appeal is vital if they are to attract financia. and political backing from big business in any future period of neute crisis.
World in Action's hatchel job horrified opponcats of the Action Front its message to those who detest violence was compiling Front is led by practitioners in violence. But it stoppeu snon dangerously short attempting to uproot the evil weeds al Tascist ANALYSIS then organisation Leon Trotsky described the differences betwcen fascism and socialism: the Nari Party, be said, was the party of counter-revolutionary despair, the Marxist purly the party of revolutionary hope.
The despair and frustration felt by millions of people within capitalist society - the despair created by posers, the dole queue, lousy housing and even well-paid but hosing and repetitive jobs are Teeding shorn of a clear-cut analysis che polities of fascism, suci CAVE HIMAN TRI GAMIER SOCINIS Some Camera i regular meetings sherily TOWER. HAMLETO HACKNEY Socialis Challenar Macond NDON CPSA Socinint Challenge in ur colablishing a i iN 10055000500:90030
Webster and supporters
who are squnlic fascist JUS excuses for such activities political valence. interviewed members, views are today. oF ideologs:
Braphically agonisingly growds for HIM AN IRISH BACKO ROUND AL FROM THE AND COME BEST ONES HELP Sorters sell capers every Saturday Insemess Bt marker in Canoen w branch, Chal YOAK GREENWICH: LEWISHAM Socialial Alicy For Lande en SOME WEST LONDON SWiN Not here suoporints group ingets Or Capham Common sutreyNational Front could, unwit tingly, help attract it new There is a simple, short-term solation to frustration: it is to clout somebody on the head: and the Front presents Iself as the movement that will both heip choose the people 1o clour and provide the grubby done in World in Action did no tackle the appeal of fascismand While geet-produced. former the programme failed to probe the reasons why thes joined it and what their ..OUT OF ORDER SRATERCAFD AND HE.
STICKER CON A BADGE dAY (i/OW thinks debabe HIM KELLY NAME GOOD THINKING MIRE LE GOOD GOOD CHALLENGE. sing tone cole mod Eapers offices at 329/0 Upper Si YORKSHIRE Vanbrugh does 111.30-3.301 al Car Fi Step 4 HUDDERSFIELD Socialist Challeng NORTH EAST DURHAM SocialistC Imma Group For.3e CHEM on SaLady:
Lansagent in whines Semt 231 201 Tories or haverhey been won to anti-racist and socialist politics? If'at is the latter, then their arguments could be a powerful barrier to stop others from joining the From Of course, World in Action's journalists will argue that there are strict limits to what can be dane. But even in thar shout space, the programme managed to be repetitive and even Tighter editing could have left time for some attempt at analysis, to point to the socia conditions that drove some of the Front memhers to commit Italy:
& SHEETS Lta NEWCASTLE SOCISI Challenge Join them, phone Fate on 0632| 2800.
SOUTH/WEST SOUTHAMPTON Socialist Challeng sies every Satunder from PORTSMOUTH Socialist Challen SCOTLAND So moan about the caper or ta ane Sociallet Chaleng -Fhene 1221 EDINSURGH Sociallet Challeng DUNDEE: informacion Sociulis Challenge accities SEETIN: ol Befom SOUTH/EAST COLCHESTERT Can violence.
Much-pullicised terror did coL deser thousands and alimatel millions from Bucksee to the ugly banners of Hitler and Mussolini Unless socialists in the modin begin to push hack the roamers of what tis permissible to write about or televise; unleas they battle with all their collectiv micht to sirip away the political pretensions of fascism 1o solve people's problems, then we. too, could beswept away by the organised despair destroyed the working class movements of Germany and Saturday Calera *0.45am-tpm COLCHESTER Socialist Challen * preme Sine BRIGHTON Socisint Challenge Roatt 2110m12 MIDLANDS 7eb thighech SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 20. July 1978 page 15
THE SCENE was reminiscent of the 1930s. They Socialist Challenge
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recent programme on the National Front marked a World in Action broke out of the straitjacket of 'balance" and 'impartiality" used by most television executives to de-gut any topic deemed by them to be "difficult' or 'controversial", writes ROGER PROTZ.
Challenge sea Workay s 130pm Annet Damundy Cortin, Venin
..OUT OF ORDREP SO EVERY BATH INTERACT YE TIMES ORGANIZATICN FOR