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In a democratic country, every aspect of the popular press is constantly under review by
parliament and the general public; ownership, management, political shade, production method
and freedom under the law are factors perpetually in dispute.
This essay attempts to comment on the press in Britain. It excludes the multiplicity of
learned and technical journals which cover every imaginable private interest ranging from
theology to karate, from motor cars to bee-keeping. These are not controversial.
In Britain newspapers are privately owned by wealthy individuals or consortia. Foreigners
are free to buy in. Australians such as Rupert Murdoch own several nationals; however, any
attempt by one person or group to buy an excessive number of titles would be denounced in
the House of Commons and probably be brought before the Monopolies Commission. The
government neither owns nor controls the press. Hence the freedom of the press remains a
jealously guarded privilege. How therefore is the situation saved from the irresponsible
individual?
Language. English, French, Russian, German and Italian are international languages.
They have the capability of dealing with modern technology. English has been taught for decades
in schools all over the world as the second and sometimes the first language. Politics may dictate
that English is given less prominence. However, trade, industry and technology nowadays
demand two-way travel, and a lingua franca is essential. So to preserve the national language
it is necessary for schools to give both it and the international language about equal prominence.
Dress. Clothes which are native to a country have evolved in relation both to climate and
to artistic tradition. It is tempting for both men and women to adopt foreign styles imported
by those who visit or settle for commercial and industrial reasons. International fashion affects
choice of dress, particularly among young people. In a free country it may be wrong to dictate
what people shall wear. However styles can be heavily influenced by the personal choice of
prominent men and women. It would be a great loss if all countries
assimilated to the styles
traditionally worn either in the West or the Eastern bloc.
Social customs. These are most easily lost. Traditions in respect of births, marriages,
deaths, agricultural festivals, attainment of manhood and womanhood and all other indigenous
customs must be maintained if a country's culture is to be preserved. Again, this requires the
help of government by way of positive encouragement in the shape of leadership and the granting
of paid holidays or time off work without loss of income.
Arts and crafts. In developing countries there is often a strong input of foreign consumer
goods. Every country has its own indigenous products, ranging from household utensils to
clothing, sandals and shoes, leather goods, pottery, pictures etc. Despite balance of trade
requirements there must be some control over imports of consumer goods and encouragement
to continue buying goods of local manufacture. This may mean government subsidies to keep
cottage industry financially viable. The continued production of all these items is crucial to the
preservation of a country's culture.
Way of life. The traditional roles of men and women are always threatened by the working
hours demanded by imported industry and commerce. The agriculture-based work-cycle is easily
lost in the five-day nine-to-five working week required when labor is transferred from the land
to the factory or office. So also is traditional village housing when new housing is built near
the major work places. Inevitably a new Westernized pattern involving shared household duties
is imposed and when traditional male and female domestic roles are modified by the new job
requirements. Little can be done about this. The upgraded status of women has come to stay.
Religious observance. Enlightened governments always ensure religious freedom and
declare national holidays so that the major festivals of all religions may be observed. Taken in
aggregate, this free time may be excessive and compromises may have to be reached. Whatever
one's personal faith there is little doubt that strong religious conviction continues to exert a
beneficial social effect. The bad features of Western culture, the break-up of family life, drug
abuse, sexual promiscuity, resulting in AIDS, and crime and anti-social behavior can be
blamed, at least partially, on the breakdown of religious faith.
Literature, music and drama. It goes without saying that governments should encourage
the support of all three, if necessary by financial subsidies. They all contribute to the richness
of indigenous culture.
In peacetime, basically by a body called the Press Council. The government or the
individual can complain about unfair reporting, the disturbance of personal privacy by
journalists, sacrilege, immorality and other abuses. Editors usually take note of this body. The
laws of libel of course apply. Material sensitive to national security can be stopped by legal
injunctions, sometimes at the order of the Speaker of the House of Commons. In wartime,
sensitive material is banned by a 'D Notice'. Otherwise editors can print material which they
know will result in libel suits, and sometimes do so. Circulation benefits offset court damages.
The powerful unions, SOGAT and the NUJ, have hitherto controlled not only printing
methods, but also to some extent editorial attitudes, but recently their power has been broken.
Fleet Street in London had been hidebound by overmanning and antique printing methods.
Rupert Murdoch set up a modern establishment in Wapping, north of the River Thames, and
manned his printing works behind barbed wire by non-union labor. Thus he remained viable
financially and was free in his editorial comment. Violent picketing continued for a year, but
Murdoch set a trend which is being followed by other nationals. His methods were unpopular,
but they were direct and effective.
Newspapers in Britain are subdivided among major national dailies and local papers.
Evening papers are on sale actually from l0 a.m. and are aimed at commuters. Many provincial
papers are weeklies, and sell on local news combined with some national comment.
The national dailies and Sunday papers, with their color magazines, all have a political
bias, based in the paper's history and tradition. These range from Communist papers such as
the Star, to right-wing dailies such as the Express and the Sun, so that every shade of opinion
is catered for. Such a wide spectrum gives the public a wide choice. In most cases their reporting
is fair and factual, though naturally their political interpretations of both home and foreign
affairs vary widely. All, including the establishment dailies, the Times and the Telegraphs
compete for circulation in various ways. Many run competitions and games of chance. Some
seek exclusives to increase sales. The gutter press prints soft-sex photographs and goes in for
lurid reporting. All contain news, sport, politics, leaders, features, letters and advertising. At
about 25p they are mostly good value for money.
Apart from technical journals, magazines in general have lost their hold on the British
public because they were largely pictorial. The television has overtaken them. However, women's
magazines are as popular as ever. They range from the intellectual -- feminist to the
establishment social scene to the traditionally bland and non-controversial women's interest
types of periodical.
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