Yes, you read that correctly … I used the word WHEN … not if or maybe … It already happened.
Space,
the final frontier, these are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise, Its continuing mission: to
explore strange new worlds. To seek out new life and new civilisations. To
boldly go where no one has gone before!
EXCEPT the BBC weren’t willing to boldly go with us.
Episodes of the Original Series had been banned (those with torture or difficult story-lines involving children - remember it was the 1960's) but this was the first time an episode of The Next Generation was banned...
(source - IMDB)
Stardate 43510.7
(Season 3, Episode 12 – On High Ground – original airing should have been in 1992)
This episode see the Enterprise at Rutia IV and getting heavily involved
with a violent civil war. Lieutenant Commander Data notes that the Irish Unification
of 2024 was an event that
resulted in the creation of a single unified nation-state controlling
the entire geographical island of Ireland. This unification came about due to
the use of terrorism rather
than peaceful acts to bring about political change.
We need to look at this in context. The "Troubles" were still ongoing and since 19th October 1988, when the Home Secretary, Douglas Hurd, issued a notice under clause 13(4) of the BBC Licence and Agreement to the BBC and under section 29(3) of the Broadcasting Act 1981 to the Independent Broadcasting Authority prohibiting the broadcast of direct statements by representatives or supporters of eleven Irish political and military organisations.
The BBC were not alone, such a ban also existed in Ireland from 1981 - 1994. The logic was to not give those groups a voice on the airwaves to defend the use of violence. Both the BBC & RTE got around this on the news by having a voice over segment if someone like Gerry Adams was on, but many interviews and documentaries could not be aired (or in some cases not even made). Born in 1976 one of my abiding memories is the 9 o' clock news reporting on yet another bombing, revenge attack, punishment beating or killing by both sides. We all knew the names of the different groups, the areas and streets where the action was happening but couldn't really comprehend what was going on. When you're ten you don't really understand what's happening and unfortunately you even become immune to the daily announcements. More than 3,500 lost their lives, 52% of them were civilians. Whichever side of the conflict you lie on, I think we can all agree it is a dreadful part of our history. Some families are still waiting for the remains of their loved ones to be found.
We need to look at this in context. The "Troubles" were still ongoing and since 19th October 1988, when the Home Secretary, Douglas Hurd, issued a notice under clause 13(4) of the BBC Licence and Agreement to the BBC and under section 29(3) of the Broadcasting Act 1981 to the Independent Broadcasting Authority prohibiting the broadcast of direct statements by representatives or supporters of eleven Irish political and military organisations.
(source - NY Times)
The BBC were not alone, such a ban also existed in Ireland from 1981 - 1994. The logic was to not give those groups a voice on the airwaves to defend the use of violence. Both the BBC & RTE got around this on the news by having a voice over segment if someone like Gerry Adams was on, but many interviews and documentaries could not be aired (or in some cases not even made). Born in 1976 one of my abiding memories is the 9 o' clock news reporting on yet another bombing, revenge attack, punishment beating or killing by both sides. We all knew the names of the different groups, the areas and streets where the action was happening but couldn't really comprehend what was going on. When you're ten you don't really understand what's happening and unfortunately you even become immune to the daily announcements. More than 3,500 lost their lives, 52% of them were civilians. Whichever side of the conflict you lie on, I think we can all agree it is a dreadful part of our history. Some families are still waiting for the remains of their loved ones to be found.
But this doesn't answer why the episode was banned, it didn't fall under the censorship ban of not giving terrorists a voice on the national airwaves so I wonder what the BBC was afraid of, the idea of a
unified Ireland or the fact it (fictionally) came about due to the use of terrorism. And now the old adage the more things change the more they stay the same.
If you are under 20 years of age and you see a picture like this, you wouldn't be blamed for thinking it was a photo from Russia or Israel. But you'd be wrong. Are we going to see British army on duty like this on the island of Ireland again - hopefully not.
But to get back to the topic and let's give some props to journalists and the job they do. It most cases they want to tell the important stories and those involved with television programming and planning want to bring us the viewer a wide variety of ideas and shows. It doesn't matter if some of us don't like it, you can always switch station. BBC staff at the time staged a one-day strike in protest that the BBC's independence was being undermined and we still see today where the press is being curtailed.
But I wonder if a disastrous Brexit happens, coupled with the growing force of right-wing politics across Europe what other freedoms will be curtailed. At least with the advent of technology and the internet we can see what we want even if the established broadcasting companies refuse to air controversial shows. It's still a sad state of affairs when a geek's daily fix of Star Trek is limited due to some stupid small minded ideas. In the same way that schools across America are refusing to teach LGBT history, will schools in the UK stop teaching children about the different European cultures and faiths? Will the right-wing conservative xenophobic agitators win or will the UK figure a way out of this mess before they start down a path of cutting themselves off from the rest of the World, because if they get far enough down that path they may not be able to backtrack.
In conclusion, it's a mess and if it leads to the British Army enforcing a border that nobody wants on the island of Ireland ... well all bets are off.
John The Captain Ryan.
If you are under 20 years of age and you see a picture like this, you wouldn't be blamed for thinking it was a photo from Russia or Israel. But you'd be wrong. Are we going to see British army on duty like this on the island of Ireland again - hopefully not.
But to get back to the topic and let's give some props to journalists and the job they do. It most cases they want to tell the important stories and those involved with television programming and planning want to bring us the viewer a wide variety of ideas and shows. It doesn't matter if some of us don't like it, you can always switch station. BBC staff at the time staged a one-day strike in protest that the BBC's independence was being undermined and we still see today where the press is being curtailed.
(source Gerardela Fistiniere)
But I wonder if a disastrous Brexit happens, coupled with the growing force of right-wing politics across Europe what other freedoms will be curtailed. At least with the advent of technology and the internet we can see what we want even if the established broadcasting companies refuse to air controversial shows. It's still a sad state of affairs when a geek's daily fix of Star Trek is limited due to some stupid small minded ideas. In the same way that schools across America are refusing to teach LGBT history, will schools in the UK stop teaching children about the different European cultures and faiths? Will the right-wing conservative xenophobic agitators win or will the UK figure a way out of this mess before they start down a path of cutting themselves off from the rest of the World, because if they get far enough down that path they may not be able to backtrack.
In conclusion, it's a mess and if it leads to the British Army enforcing a border that nobody wants on the island of Ireland ... well all bets are off.
John The Captain Ryan.
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