MoD bans TV news access to warzones

THE Ministry of Defence has banned Britain’s biggest commercial news broadcaster from frontline access to the nation’s forces, The Times has learnt.

The row began last week after ITV broadcast the first of a series of reports showing how British soldiers wounded during the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan are treated. The segments, which appear nightly on the 6.30pm and 10.30pm bulletins, topped the agenda at a meeting between ministers, including the Defence Secretary Des Browne, and military chiefs.

MoD sources have indicated that there was concern about images showing identifiable wounded servicemen arriving at Birmingham airport by night. It has been suggested that no permission was obtained from the men and that their families may have been caused distress.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2417831,00.html

Maybe if they don't televise it it will all go away.

and as soon as the correspondent landed in a supposedly "safe" are, all hell broke lose with a mortar barrage. The soldiers he interviewed gave a gloomy picture of the situation on the ground, and they all complained about the bad to non-existing RAF support.

I think is reporting such as this that is forcing the Defence Ministry to ban the media. Only happy news will be allowed!

when ITV disclosed that our Military Hospitals had been closed. The MOD got a bit touchy about that too. You might find it in the Channel 4 news archive.

just fuzz over faces of the wounded? This news ban seems like a tank to block a mouse hole.

Unless the REAL reason is to stop news that might upset people about being in this war, and show war for the unpleasant business that it is.

what a shock. I mean really! I gave the UK much more credit.