Preserving liberty in a society under siege: The media and the ‘Guildford Four’

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Abstract
In the aftermath of the TWA hijacking, the American electronic media were strongly criticized for their ethical practices and for abusing First Amendment rights. Many Americans think of Great Britain as providing appropriate examples for how to deal with abusive media. There, prior restraint and internal broadcasting codes exist, and the First Amendment does not. Yet, those who believe that capping the lens provides a simple solution to a complex problem have forgotten the functional role the media play in a society undergoing a terrorist siege. The case of the ‘Guildford Four’ shows how terrorist violence can adversely affect the responses of even a strong stable democracy and how responsible, vigilant and free media provide an independent, institutional base of power that can help reunite democratic aspirations and practice. The case of the ‘Guildford Four’ is the belated triumph of justice in a free society, but it is also a triumph of free media.

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