CENSORSHIP', said Denis Lemon, editor of Gay News *is how other people in your name are protecting you from me.
He was addressing Theatre Writers' Union conference on censorship in London on 28 January. The TWU was spurred into calling conference because so many of its own members are falling victim to censorship.
The growing use of overt censorship during the last two cars or so especially in - has led to a number of discussions among media workers. These discussions have mainly concerned television.
The Theatre Writers' Union wanted to bring together people trom all different parts of the theatre, television, journalism, the visual arts.
Some 200 people attended, and the speeches both from the platform and from the floor indicated the high degree of concern InaT many media workers now feel.
And during the conference it became clear that this concern is not limited to overt censorship but extendsto the way the media present the world in general.
Speaker after speaker showed how whole sections population - Irish Republi1969г: L808T print run of 5,000 copies.
Interlink director Peter Sinclair.
different finishers Interlink found a new excuse.
Interlink to censor the pamphlet.
Scans, gays, workers — are excluded from or misrepresented in the media.
This exclusion is achieved in a number of ways. Sometimes, as journalist Campbell and a statement sent the by Republican News editor Danny Morrison made clear, the state intervenes directly against those who reveal its the unpleasant secrets.
Sometimes the broadcasting authorities step in to ban or cut a TV programme. More than 20 TV programmes on Ireland are known to have been victims of such interference Open censorship is avoided possible, inevitably leads to friction. But as Philip Schlesinger, author of Putting 'reality' BBC news, put it, Ireland has presented a crisis for the British state and the British media, public system.' Britain is fighting an unpopular war in the north of Ireland — much closer to home Inan previous colonial Control of information is vital to the war effort.
But the media establishment cannot perenca on to toe the une because the repressive methods being used in Ireland actually conflict with the establishment image of Britain.
Inevitably investigative jour1979? 30p • *British Soldiers Speak Out on Ireland' has proved one of the most popular political pamphlets for some time. Put out by Information on Ireland, the pamphlet has sold out its first But now its printers, Interlink, have refused to print a second edition. A variety of excuses have been offered by First he claimed that the printers' finishers had objected to the pamphlet, but when Information on Ireland found suggested that pressure from other customers had forced women, nalists begin to ask questions.
The authorities quandary. anowing me trumn through leads to awkward questions about the war, Duncan using open censorship exposes the fact that the state something to hide.
control are Production staff are instructed to 'refer up' programmes on Ireland for vetting at high levels.
Deterred, they
suggest programmes -censor themselves Censorship can take other forms Elizabeth Bond cribed how, because company did a play about the effects of asbestos, the multinational company involved put DISSUIC 'Northern organisation, Arts Council, which sacked the cast. and especially Playwright broadcasting told how a director down her play about the effects of psycho-surgery. He did not even alter the script — he simply wars. instructed the actress to 'act less brain-damaged'!
Several speakers pointed out that censorship can be more subtle. Gays, blacks, Irish people and women are degraded through 'comedy' while their unle perspectives "justice-loving" shown.
In the interminable bulletins on strikes, strikers "just happen' are In such but has So more insidious forms of and brought European/British Ultimately, hesitate to they in control.
deswhen a theatre the ruling class. tunding the Pennines on Cherry Potter Wale CO machinery The committee conference. even never publishing not to be interviewed about what they are striking for.
circumstances not even self-censorship is at work. The media are simply churning out a view of the world which reflects the ideology of the people who control and stest West colonial, white, male, middle class view.
Farrukh Dhondy pointed out, what is heard depends on who is At the sametime, the fight for the right of the oppressed to have access to the mass media — as well as setting up alternative means of communication - is part of the light to destabilise The conference concluded by setting up a committee which aims partly to act as a pressure sne unions and ultimately the TUC (while some of the media unions have formal for dealing censorship, they rarely use it).
coula ac worse than start by publishing some of the papers given at the Liz Curtis is a member of the Campaign for Free Speech on Ireland, which will shortly be comprehensive pamphlet on the media and