British Propaganda

Southland Times, Issue 24106, 20 April 1940, Page 4

British Propaganda

pRITICISM of the official BritLj ish news and propaganda services has now found its way into the editorial columns of The Times. According to a cable message from London, printed yesterday, the newspaper complained that “no photographs are forthcoming from the British side, although the daring use of the camera may at any moment be most valuable for the Allied cause.” Last week a similar criticism was made by Mr DuffCooper, who said that American support for Britain is declining “because the Germans are very busy and very successful with their propaganda.” Protests had previously been heard from less influential quarters. A few weeks after the outbreak of hostilities American journalists were pointing out that Germany had taken the initiative in propaganda. Special attention was given to the pictorial side of publicity, so that photographs of Nazi troop movements were flooding the United States while the British authorities were still undecided whether or not to allow news reel camera men to visit the Western Front. The Germans have always been good photographers. Some of their pictures of air warfare, for instance, have been of a quality that could not fail to impress neutrals. Camera men accompanied the bombers which carried out the first raid against the Firth of Forth and secured some magnificent scenes taken while bombs were actually exploding near British warships. Propaganda of the pictorial type is extremely important, and in the early stages of the Norwegian campaign—especially at Narvik —there must have been unique opportunities for British cameras.

The question of news services is more complex. So far the British authorities have relied on the dissemination of “straight” news. Their careful regard for the truth will ultimately prove to have been a wise and profitable policy; listeners in other countries are already learning to tune in to the British Broadcasting Corporation broadcasts when they want the bare facts of new and dramatic events. Unfortunately many persons, especially in the United States, are not likely to listen to the broadcasts except when there are reports of exciting developments. On quiet days the news bulletins are frequently dull, even for British people. Americans are accustomed to lively methods of news presentation, and if they cannot find them in London they will seek elsewhere. It is in those quieter sessions that the propagandists have their opportunity to influence neutral audiences, and it is then that more positive efforts should be made to state Britain’s case. Spectacular events, of the kind that have taken place recently in the fiords and coastal waters of i Norway, may prove again the value of the British Broad- ■ casting Corporation method. But in this war the sudden drama is often followed by a lull. Those are the periods when British spokesmen, at the microphone in London and in the United States, should be strengthening the tone of American sympathy. Deeds are better than words; but the deeds are more welcome, and are more clearly understood, if speakers and writers have preceded the men of action.