WAR ON IRAK CENSORED

PR WATCH: English regional newspapers start war censorship

English regional newspapers start war censorship

Sir Ray Tindle, the editor in chief of over 100 weekly newspapers across
Britain has informed all his editors that they can no longer report any
anti-war stories in their newspapers. Sir Ray, who has been knighted for
his services to the newspaper industry, wrote:

"Everyone knows that Tindle family newspapers have no political bias.
Our columns are free. When British troops come under fire, however, as
now seems probable, I ask you to ensure that nothing appears in the
columns if your newspapers which attacks the decision to conduct the war
in which those men are involved, nor, of course, anything which attacks
the troops themselves".

"I ask it", wrote Tindle, "not just as a proprietor of the newspapers,
but as someone who served as a British soldier from 1944 to 1947 in the
Far East".

His editors back Tindle's decision. Gina Coles who edits eight of his
titles in the south west of the country said: "I am proud to say I
totally agree with his decision. Once war was declared anti-war
demonstrations were pointless - the argument was lost". Coles though
does admit that Tindle's "brave" move could be seen by some as
"censoring the news".

Jeremy Dear, the General Secretary of the National Union of Journalists
has condemned the move: " So much for the right to know, free speech and
all those other rights which our forefathers fought to establish and
which Sir Ray Tindle seeks to demolish at the stroke of a pen.

"What makes his censorship better than the censorship of those he would
seek to condemn?" asks Dear, "He merely confirms that freedom of the
press really only belongs to those who own the press - the rest of us
will be allowed to know only what they deem is suitable. Next stop
tyranny?"