Coverage of war over the years
I used to enjoy discussing with my late father how World War Two was covered.
His father would go to the cinema twice weekly for Pathe News so the newsreel and the commentary of Bob Danvers Walker were vital.
Winston Churchill would deliver his radio message in that re-assuring resonant voice – achieving oratory at its very best – and the newspapers followed the government line.
It could not be more different to today with 24 hour rolling news.
Some might think that Churchill’s oratory is out-dated but he was master on the soundbite ( “our finest hour”, “we shall never surrender”) and I hear these words used by Ukrainian politicians.
I can recall John Major addressing the nation on television during the Kuwait War in 1990 once but I very much doubt if Boris Johnson will.
President Biden did in his State of the Nation Address to Congress but where is the evidence that Putin is listening to this, let alone stop his war machine because of it?
The BBC was, during World War Two, the voice of the free world to which the Nazis accordingly banned listening.
Yesterday I listened to Breakfast on BBC presented by Dan Walker.
He was so anodyne that he could just about present a human interest story of a Briton enlisting for the Ukrainian cause.
I read later that he was reproached as he wore his football socks under his suit as he had a game after the programme.
Contrast this with Sky News’ Dominic Waghorn or Tim Marshall, both experienced reporters who have a detailed grasp of events.
The problem for the leaders of the West are they congratulate themselves on a unified response whilst the viewer sees carnage continuing in an invaded land.
Defence minister Ben Wallace is doing well on the approval ratings.
He has the advantage of being educated at Sandhurst. He has a stiff manner but knows his onions.
Of course the Russian television viewer only sees what Putin wants him or her to see as censorship is strict.
One reason for the poor start of the Russian invasion force is that the soldiers were brainwashed into thinking they would be welcomed not – as happened – meet a very stiff resistance.
