Unionist concerns about the attitude of British radio and television towards the North 30 years ago is disclosed in the Cabinet releases. In a brief for the Prime Minister, Major Chichester-Clark, dated February 11th, 1971, a Stormont official, T. M. Roberts, is critical of BBC programmes such as The World At One and Twenty Four Hours.
"Since the Troubles began in October 1968 these programmes with the regressive and biased link-men and presenters have not given either the government or the unionists of Ulster a fair show. Comments have been weighted against the state and its authorities and sympathy clearly shown to those hostile to Northern Ireland," he wrote.
Both the late Richard Dimbleby and Bernard Falk are singled out as hostile interviewers.
A further factor annoying the Northern government were the use of Dublin journalists by the British media in discussions of Northern Ireland affairs.
The official went on: "Mr Tim Pat Coogan, editor of the Irish Press - a paper bitterly hostile to Northern Ireland - was used.
"Mr Henry Kelly of The Irish Times is also used frequently. He is personally hostile to Northern Ireland and its government and his paper makes no secret of its republican attitude to Ulster. The viewer and the listener get their views as being representative of Northern Ireland opinion. They can no more express it than an Arab could reflect Israeli opinion from Jerusalem," he concluded.