The BBC and the miners’ strike of 1984/85
Abstract
One of the most controversial events of the Thatcher years was the miners’ strike of 1984/85. Throughout the country miners ceased work and embarked on a strike that was to last over a year. Violent clashes between the police and striking miners dominated media coverage of the strike and culminated in the ‘Battle of Orgreave’. On June 18th 1984, miners attempted to prevent lorries from going into and out of the Orgreave coking plant, and the fierce fighting that broke out made the news headlines. This article examines the BBC’s coverage of the day’s events, which differed sharply from that of ITV in how it presented the violence and apportioned blame for it, giving rise to accusations of political bias against the miners. Using Herman and Chomsky’s propaganda model, it will attempt to explain the reactions of the BBC to the events of Orgreave.
Domains
Political scienceOrigin | Publisher files allowed on an open archive |
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Licence |