british broadcasting voice restrictions october september voices representatives irish republican loyalist groups banned british government broadcast television radio united_kingdom restrictions announced home secretary october covered organisations based northern_ireland followed heightened period violence history troubles government belief need prevent media political advantage broadcasters quickly found ways ban chiefly dubbing voice prevented speaking voice actor legislation apply election campaigns certain circumstances restrictions caused difficulties british journalists objected censorship countries iraq india similar legislation banned links paramilitary groups repealed january added pressure british government likewise broadcast ban finally lifted september fortnight background troubles broadcasters regularly required stop postpone broadcast documentaries programmes relating ireland prominent instances real lives documentary bbc edge union programme featured extensive footage discussing troubles following direct intervention government temporarily blocked aired incident led day strike members walked protest bbc independence undermined months leading introduction ban seen particularly intense period troubles related violence episodes time bus bombing resulted deaths british soldiers incident killing duty british soldiers drove funeral procession brought media conflict government journalists present funeral declined request hand footage incident amid concerns risk response prime minister told house_of_commons journalists duty assist investigation justice matters terrorism film subsequently seized bbc conservative government believed need act prevent media defend actions measures wider government response increase violence included changes right silence rules allowing paramilitary prisoners early release controversy erupted september intended edition channel discussion programme dark featured president guest dropped conservative academic professor specialised study terrorism political violence voiced strong objections transmission ban october home secretary issued notice clause agreement bbc section broadcasting act prohibiting broadcast direct statements representatives supporters irish political military organisations ban prevented news media broadcasting voices words irish republican loyalist paramilitary groups groups affected provisional volunteer force ban targeted primarily addressing house_of_commons ban said terrorists draw support access radio television time come deny easy platform use terrorism conservative prime minister said deny terrorists oxygen publicity act allowed home secretary introduce measures event public interest issue parliamentary debate required issue discussed house_of_commons november opposition labour_party introduced amendment condemning government decision incompatible free society rejected despite conservative mps voting labour legislation condemned planned day strike protest ban november action called members failed reach consensus group broadcast journalists subsequently launched legal challenge ban high_court decided home secretary acted later hearing upheld decision december belief ban place print broadcast media level opponents restrictions argued affecting quality news reporting northern_ireland consequently people understanding issues broadcaster challenge regulations said case journalists able report northern_ireland properly people able understand happening reported properly chairman bbc called ban dangerous precedent petition organised including signatures mps presented anniversary commencement implementation media outlets usually left interpret restrictions way ban applied archive material later relaxed following government advice director general bbc said announcement came right blue director publicity spoke total confusion resulted asked television radio journalists initially main ways new law voices actors speak directly bbc commercial counterparts compiled list actors called record news items documentaries troubles short notice actors frequently spoke words real time person voice dubbed interview appeared cnn network realising hearing actor speak restrictions applied television drama documentary discussion programmes december secretary state northern_ireland ordered channel_4 cancel episode drama series featured story fictional aired previously documentary women irish nationalism included interview shot dead operation gibraltar banned later occasion appearance political activist edition bbc nation discussing reasons political violence censored said subtitled county sound radio station surrey dropped interview later appearance successfully decision november streets sorrow birmingham song expressing support birmingham subject regulations included general disagreement way british government responds courts deal terrorist threat ban enforced restrictions briefly lifted general election allowing political debate president labour_party leader heard election campaign ban resumed polls closed preventing adams reaction loss parliamentary seat directly aired individual real voice broadcast news item question directly relate political beliefs paramilitary activities similarly subject restrictions eyewitness event incident heard february voice councillor broadcast spoke attack house adams allowed speak similar attack property occasion journalist given access inmates maze prison documentary jail prisoners allowed speak freely personal lives complaint prisoners food spokesman concerning size prison rolls television producer described incident highlighted surreal nature restrictions lifting regulations successor prime minister announced review regulations november telling house_of_commons general belief interviews subject restrictions stretched limit decision followed television interview conservative described having caused offence great number people conservative mps wanted rigid restrictions reported widespread feeling major favoured complete ban journalists opposed quoted bbc said reporting events northern_ireland virtually impossible time coverage northern_ireland related topics frequent increasing pace peace process review conducted secretary state heritage february major government decided maintain status quo pressure reverse restrictions grew statutory instruments section irish government act january prohibited radio television interviews representatives paramilitary groups point northern_ireland access state broadcaster hear voices banned regulations responding dublin government decision said years political censorship served stunt hopes resolution conflict denied right information good regulations particularly came spotlight visit adams united_states gave speech widely broadcast world dubbed ban launched legal challenge seeking british government court breach freedom expression case rejected similar challenge brought irish government broadcast ban thrown ban lifted september fortnight declared day major announced roads linking northern_ireland republic closed british security forces reopen promised negotiated deal future northern_ireland governance subject referendum deputy leader gave direct interview shortly restrictions ceased decision end ban welcomed broadcasters chief executive channel_4 said ended embarrassing attempts censor coverage important domestic political story post war years commented apply normal testing scrutiny sides debate signalled approval ban lifting viewed caution politicians felt decision premature remained armed organisation gives facto recognition body men guns bombs table reserve right murder don way analysis producer bbc documentary discusses restrictions argued legislation added pressure process reporting events northern_ireland believed ban weapon war government attempt silence republican movement said media giving publicity shouldn argued use legislation legitimate weapon state use head bbc argued restrictions allow viewers proper judgment subject rules subtle changes voices heard particular cited example appearance bbc record september spoke prospect peace northern_ireland hall said adams nervous defensive interview presenter argued peace achieved continued violent stance viewers unaware aspects discussion said countries india egypt quoted restrictions bbc journalists complained use censorship authorities countries additionally hall argued manipulated ban excuse decline interviews bbc foreign affairs editor encountered similar difficulties issue censorship reporting iraq gulf war worked baghdad officials mention ban criticised censorship don like country appearing dividing line conference reporting northern_ireland related issues november chaired irish journalist participants claimed practice investigative reporting research indicates coverage bbc ban minimal heard seen television times formal bbc interviews compared interviews civil service interviewed studio like participants ban steep decline coverage republican views television appearances reduced times following year delays caused voice overs subtitles lead coverage films dropped entirely
1988–94 British broadcasting voice restrictions