NJ
But can we prove otherwise? Thatcher's dislike of "restrictive practices" in ITV during her tenure are well documented, but it seems strange that the PM should experience such seismic shift in her opinion of British television within the space of a year.
It may never be proved one way or the other, unless something is released in 2020 under the Thirty Year Rule. But by then will we care any more?
Without meaning to drag the thread wildly off-topic, I wouldn't read too much into the Hutton enquiry as a whole - everybody said it was a whitewash at the time and the wider issue (nuclear weapons in Iraq as the reason for going to war) is still going on, with no sign of any such weapons four years on.
Neil Jones
Founding member
tvarksouthwest posted:
Neil Jones posted:
As I've previously written in this thread, this has never been proved.
But can we prove otherwise? Thatcher's dislike of "restrictive practices" in ITV during her tenure are well documented, but it seems strange that the PM should experience such seismic shift in her opinion of British television within the space of a year.
It may never be proved one way or the other, unless something is released in 2020 under the Thirty Year Rule. But by then will we care any more?
Quote:
Governments will always try control broadcasters' impartiality, and readily slap them down if they don't toe the line. The Conservative administration was perhaps the most vindictive in this respect. Although Labour were just as bad, with the sham that was Hutton.
Without meaning to drag the thread wildly off-topic, I wouldn't read too much into the Hutton enquiry as a whole - everybody said it was a whitewash at the time and the wider issue (nuclear weapons in Iraq as the reason for going to war) is still going on, with no sign of any such weapons four years on.