Secrecy and the Media

The Official History of the D-Notice System

By Nicholas John Wilkinson

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• ISBN: 978-0-415-45375-2
• Binding: Hardback
• Published by: Routledge
• Publication Date: 1st June 2009 (Available for Pre-order)
• Pages: 720

About the Book

From Victorian times, British Governments have increasingly seen the need, in the public interest, to prevent the media publishing secret information which would endanger national security. The UK media have meanwhile continuously resisted official attempts to impose any form of censorship, also arguing the public interest of a free press. Both sides have normally seen the pitfalls of attempting to resolve by litigation this sometimes acrimonious conflict of interests, and have together evolved a system of editorial self-regulation, assisted by day-to-day independent expert advice, known colloquially as the D-Notice System.

This book traces its development from nineteenth century colonial campaigns, through two World Wars, to modern operations and counter-terrorism in the post-Cold War era up to the beginning of the Labour government in 1997. Its examples are drawn from media, political and official sources (some not yet open), and cover not only Defence (including Special Forces), but also the activities of MI5, MI6 and GCHQ. It relates principally to UK, but also to American and other allies interests. How this unique and sometimes controversial institution, once itself secretive, now operates openly in the modern world, is not only essential reading for those in the media and government departments dealing with security and intelligence; it is also an accessible exposé for the public, in whose interests both sides are operating.

Table of Contents

Preface Section 1: Pre-Formation – The Long Debate 1. Victorian Security and Press Interaction 2. Regulation of the Press, and the Boer War 3. Facing the Growing German Threat 4. Wrangling with the Press 5. Government Attempts to Litigate 6. Events Bring Matters to a Head Section 2: Act I – Formation and Early Modus Operandi of the Committee 7. Establishing the Committee 8. Establishing Machinery and Procedures 9. Establishing a Modus Operandi Pre-War Section 3: World War I, 1914-18 10. The Security Context 11. Censorship 12. The Press Bureau 13. Early Interaction Between AWOPC, Press and Press Bureau 14. Settling Down to a Long War 15. Approaching the Steady State 16. Continuing Tensions 17. The Steady State 18. The Final Push Section 4: Between the World Wars, 1919-39 19. Security Context 20. Media Context 21. Early Work of the Committee 22. Middle Years Lull 23. Thinking About War Again 24. Return Towards a War Footing Section 5: World War II, 1939-45 – Suspended Animation 25. The Press and Censorship Bureau 26. The Practice of Censorship 27. Towards Peace Section 6: Early Years of the Cold War – 1945 to 1967 28. Security Context 29. Media Context 30. Return of the Committee 31. Beginning of Cold War Considerations 32. Korean War and Imperial Disentanglement 33. Equipment Disagreements 34. Suez Crisis, and ‘War Potential’ 35. Fallout from the Blake Case, and the Kuwait Crisis 36. ‘War Potential’ Again, and the Radcliffe Report 37. Post-Radcliffe Section 7: The 'Lohan' Affair 1967 38. A Squall Becomes a Storm 39. Another Radcliffe Inquiry 40. The Storm Becomes a Hurricane 41. Rocks All Around 42. Lohan in the Spotlight, and Radcliffe Bites 43. Clearing up the Damage Section 8: Post-Cold War 1991-1997 44. Security, Political and Media Contexts 45. Revision of the Notices 1971, and Early Casework 46. Impact of IRA Campaign, and Protection of Official Information 47. Wider Concerns about D-Notice System 48. DPBC Review 1981 to 1982 49. Falklands Conflict 1982 50. Back to Routine Business 51. The ‘Zircon’ and ‘My Country Right or Wrong’ Controversies 52. Reform of the Official Secrets Acts 53. Business as Usual Again Section 9: Post-Cold War, 1991-97 54. Iraq, Terrorism, Modernisation 55. D-Notice Review, and Spook Mania 56. Books, Avowal, and the Chinook Crash 57. Special Forces, Former Yugoslavia, Inadequate DA- Notices 58. Disaffected Operators, Media Discomfort, Book Mountain, Early Website 59. Quo Vadit? Appendices

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