Afghan news blackout during the election.

[Sid Squid]

It seems the Government doesn't want you to hear any bad news while you're thinking of who to vote for, and to this end they've decided that there will be no reports from Afghanistan during that time. According to the Daily Telegraph a leaked memo says:

British journalists and TV crews are to be banned from the Afghan front line once a date for the election has been set, while senior officers will be prohibited from making public speeches and talking to reporters.
MoD websites will also be “cleansed” of any “non-factual” material including anything containing troops’ opinions of the war.

Link to Telegraph website.

Didn't Gordon Brown just visit the troops in Afghanistan? He didn't seem to object to that being reported on, but bad news won't help the campaign will it.

Cynical, me? Hmmmm.

[dizzyblonde]

Might have to report on home news then.

TBH, and this may seem harsh, but all the news consists of these days is three quarters world affairs and a tiny slot for anything relevant to do with home turf. I'm sure theres a lot more the general public would like to hear about than warmongering political carp....but I suppose it keeps us from knowing the truth about how deep in the Shi!te this country really is in!

Perhaps they shot themselves in the foot on this one then!

[Drew Carey]

Surely they can't stop it being published though? I would have thought there will be plenty of independant or foriegn Journo's happy to report on it all whilst in Afghan / Iraq etc. They then simply sell it to any news broadcaster they wish.

I thought that to get a total ban, they need court approval?!? Is that right? I would hope that none of Her Majesty's courts would approve something like that.

Me being naive?!?! Maybe, but it won't make any difference, most votors will already know what is going on.

Or....is this Daily Telegraph Guff?!?!? lol

Originally Posted by dizzyblonde

TBH, and this may seem harsh, but all the news consists of these days is three quarters world affairs and a tiny slot for anything relevant to do with home turf.

I guess that is what depressing old regional news is for. In all honesty though, the bulk of these 'world affairs' stories are ones that the UK are involved in anyway, which essentially makes it a home story.

The vast majoirty of ongoing conflicts/wars that don't involve the UK will get nowhere near the coverage that say Iraq/Afghanistan gets. When you go on holiday and watch a bit of BBC World you really do get a better taster of what is going on in the world, and it's not all to do with wars either.

Originally Posted by Drew Carey

Or....is this Daily Telegraph Guff?!?!? lol

well it is the torygraph after all, so this 'leaked' memo could be a nicely conjured up little chess move.

[yorkie_chris]

This should be fairly easy to confirm/refute based on who's sending statements from where. Only time it makes sense to gag the press is for military reasons, but with a major offensive going on it's not like they need to achieve strategic surprise is it?


Afghanistan didn't do Leonid Ilych much good politically either, and they weren't too big on a free press at the best of times...

[Bri w]

Didn't stop them publishing details of the recent offensive in Afganistan BEFORE it had even started.

This current Govt has spun news for more years than I've had hot dinners. They are a disgrace to the very ethos of free speech, and public freedoms they are supposed to protect.

Best not say what I really think about them - the 18 rating wouldn't be enough.

[Viney]

Ah yeah, right...erm, what?

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Afghanistan didn't do Leonid Ilych much good politically either, and they weren't too big on a free press at the best of times...

Not surprising to be honest considering how many soviets lost their lives.

[yorkie_chris]

Can't help but drawing some parallels to the current state of our political leadership in so many areas.