Growing Opposition to Rt

On Monday Jan 19th Albert Reynolds Minister for Posts and Telegraphs re-ratified the controversial Section 31 of the Broadcasting Act. The section re-introduced during the period of hysterical anti-nationalism ly caused embarassment for RTE in its effect of censoring two British historical series in order to comply with the act.

The ludicrous situation, so often noticeable in RTE's news bulletins, will now mean that viewers in multichannel areas may view two sides of the historical debate about Irish history on BBC and UTV, while RTE viewers will be treated toa "laundered'ver sion, In the final programme the BBC/RTE series'Ireland; A Television History" Narrated by Robert Kee, four interviews contravene section 31. They are with Danny Morrison, Joe Cahill, Billy McKee and Proinsios McAirt, all members of Provisioral Sinn Fein. Even the BBC programme makers involved felt the story of modern Irish history could not be written without the inclusion of these interviews, despite the problems it might cause for RTE and the Irish Government, The other series made by Thames Television "The Troubles" will be including a film on Joe Cahill speaking at a press conference in Belfast at the time of the introduction of internment in 1971, RTE has approved the last two programmes of the series, but has stated that the Cahil! film will have to be censored for Irish viewers, Opposition to this censorship is growing. Civil Libertarians, Trade Unionists and, latterly workers in RTE itself are beginning to demand the repeal of the section, It should be noted that the section itself states that where the minister for Posts & Telegraphs believes that any material "would be likely to promote, or incite to crime, or councillors on local issues, interests at heart,