CAN THE WOMEN’S PEACE CAMP BE TELEVISED?: Challenging mainstream media coverage of Greenham Common

Pages: 47-56

DOI: 10.4324/9781315475059-5

Abstract:

This chapter examines how the mainstream media reported Greenham and some of the strategies women used to subvert and challenge the dominant representations. It describes the term ‘mainstream media’ to include national as well as local television and print media that were produced, generally for profit, by trained journalists. The ‘liberal, decent’ Guardian offered the most national coverage of Greenham, and likewise was perhaps the most frequently discussed media source. While local papers outside of Newbury were often supportive of the peace camp, the content of the Newbury Weekly News was almost unilaterally negative and reactionary. The sporadic nature of television coverage was due to both the difficulties of ‘capturing’ Greenham for a news report and women’s hesitations to inform the media of every action they planned. Women journalists’ homophobia, as well as the homophobic media institutions in which they operate, also prevented them from forging alliances with Greenham women.

Source: Scopus