a extreme liberty of communicating and censuring every measure
b maintain authority and exercise authority
c sensitive issues and embarrassing facts
d secrecy and national security
e confidential document and controversial programme
f national interest and public interest
g ‘on record’ and ‘ off record’
Use the context to guess the meaning of the following words and phrases.
1 apt to 9 (Para 1) 5 face a dilemma on account of (Para 4)
2 bound to (Para 1) 6 on account of (Para5)
3 avoidance of (Para4) 7 a subtle change in vocabulary (Para 6)
4 outweighs the loss (Para 4) 8 exercise a hold on the media (Para 7)
9 undermine a minister’s standing (Para 7) 10 withdraw from the Lobby (Para 8)
Notes
Lobby - a group of people who are for and against a planned action, in an attempt to persuade those in power to change their minds.
on (the) ‘record’ – (of statements) publicly known and noted, published or broadcast: e.g. be/ go on (the) record as saying that the law should be changed
off the record – (of statements) not for publication; not to be treated as official: e.g. The vice-president admitted (strictly) off the record, that the talks had fallen.
Read the text and answer the questions below.
The question of secrecy
Britain is possibly the most secretive of all parliamentary democracies. The air of mystery surrounding the intelligent services fascinates the public, both in Britain and elsewhere. The success of Ian Fleming’s hero James Bond, the novel of Len Deighton and also John Le Carre`owes much to this fascination.
Secrecy may be romantic but it has serious implications in democracy. Parliament is unable to know what is undertaken by Britain’s intelligent services, on the ground that some MPs would be a security risk. Secrecy provides a protection against public accountability. It also gives the intelligence services a powerful hold on the country. Two main intelligent organizations exist:
MI5, which deals with internal security and espionage and MI6, Britain’s spy network abroad.
In spite of government silence, the existence of MI5 and MI6 was common knowledge for years. Both services received considerable public exposure during the 1980s because of open discussion in the press. MI5 was officially acknowledged in 1989 and MI6 (also known as the Secret Intelligent Service-SIS) only in 1992
The trouble is that the desire for secrecy in British government goes beyond the need to protect national security to the protection of politicians in power from embarrassment. Whitehall’s standard security handbook reads: ‘Precautions are needed…. To prevent foreign power from obtaining unauthorized and to avoid disclosure which would cause embarrassment hampering good government… ’ However, secret government is usually bad government as well as undemocratic.
- In what ways is Britain’s preoccupation with secrecy bad for democracy?
- Do you think officials should legally be able to disclose secrets ‘in the public interest?
How does the British government’s attitude to secrecy compare with that in your own country?
Privacy and self-regulation of the press
Before reading
Discuss the following questions in pairs:
- Is there a balance between the public’s right to know and the individual’s right to privacy?
- How damaging may irresponsible reporting result in ruining people’s life?
- Should there be any degree of control over press stories?
- What measures may be helpful in protecting individual’s privacy?
1 Check the meaning of the words in bold in your dictionaries then group the ideas:
- 1 = Things typical for irresponsible tabloid.
- 2 = Things typical for offended individuals
- 3 = Things typical for public indignation
a) growing popular disgust
b) prime targets
c) to escape from voyeurism
d) being chased by paparazzi
e) the blurred pictures
f) selling extra copies
g) circulation leap up
h) voyeuristic appetite
i) court the press
j) no relevance to any public issue
k) the victims of inaccurate reporting
l) ombudsmen from inside the papers
m) a final court of appeal
n) outraged members of the public
It might seem that in the face of government secrecy, journalists must be allowed the fullest investigative powers. But how free should the press be? During the 1980s there was growing popular disgust at the way in which some newspapers, most notably the Sun, attempted to investigate the private lives of well-known people. Many had their careers ruined or damaged when their sexual activities were made public. The prime targets have been, of course, members of the Royal Family who found it increasingly difficult to escape from the voyeurism of the popular press. The dramatic death of Princess Diana while being chased by paparazzi is unlikely to bring press intrusion to an end. Admittedly Diana was a unique phenomenon. As she said of herself, 'You see yourself as a good product that sits on a shelf and sells well, and people make a lot of money out of you.' Only a few days before their death, the blurred pictures of Diana supposedly embracing her friend Dodi al Fayed, sold an extra 1 75,000 copies of the Sun. Little wonder the editor of the Sun said at the time: 'There is an absolute fascination with her that never wanes from our readers' point of view.' It was not only newspapers. Magazines with a picture of Diana on the front could see their circulation leap by as much as 30 or 40 per cent.
Diana may have been unique, but other public figures will also fascinate the public. In the end the voyeuristic appetite of the public is an inevitable component in the struggle between the tabloids for a greater share of the market. The tabloids will do whatever is necessary to maintain or increase their share of the market.
Diana was a highly public figure who often courted the press. Many people, however, feel that the press has no right to publicise personal matters when they have no relevance to any public issue, and that the victims of inaccurate reporting are entitled to a right of reply. As a result of public anger at the end of the 1980s, most newspapers appointed an ombudsman to deal with individual complaints. As one correspondent noted, however, 'Most of the ombudsmen are from inside the papers that have appointed them. Not all are experienced in journalism. Almost the only thing they have in common is that they are (all) men.'
Beyond each newspaper is a final court of appeal for outraged members of the public. This is the Press Complaints Commission established at the beginning of 1991. The Commission replaced a previous body, the Press Council, which progressively lost its authority since its own establishment in 1953. If the new Commission cannot convince the public that press self-regulation can be made to work, the government may bring in legislation to control the worst excesses of the press
While reading
1 Read the text and check your ideas
2 Find words or phrases in the text that mean the following
a) especially, in particular (Para1)
b) known about by most people (Para 1)
c) when press affect your life or activities in unwanted way (Para1)
d) it becomes gradually less strong or important (Para1)
e) a part or portion of a larger amount to which many people contribute (Para2)
f) to give sb the official right to do or have sth (Para3)
g) to make sb feel certain that smth is true (Para 4)
h) a law or asset of laws (Para 4)
i) harmful actions that are socially or morally unacceptable (Para 4)