Interview with Martin Nicolas Loy Plaut

British civilian journalist with British Broadcasting Corporation World Service in GB, 1983-2003, including Iraq War, 2003

REEL 1 Background in South Africa and GB, 1950-1983: family and childhood; reasons for coming to GB for postgraduate study at University of Warwick, 1979; marriage; description of work for Labour Party; joined BBC World Service, 1983. Recollections of period as journalist with British Broadcasting Corporation World Service in GB, 1983-2003: work on BBC Talks mainly about Africa; working experience covering conflicts in Ethiopia, Eritrea, Liberia, Uganda and Zimbabwe; work for News Hour during First Gulf War; comparison to coverage of Second Gulf War; question of accuracy of reporting; reason for lack of dedicated correspondents in British Broadcasting Corporation World Service; reflections on coverage of First Gulf War; need for balance reporting; opinion of Arab television and radio stations; attitude to coverage of events of 9/11 and effect on United States Government policy; attendance at seminars on world events. Recollections of period as journalist for British Broadcasting Corporation World Service in Cairo, Egypt and Republic of Iraq during Iraq War, 2003: preparations in British Broadcasting Corporation World Service for possible war against Republic of Iraq; nature of work in Cairo, Egypt; mood on streets among civilian population in Cairo, Egypt. REEL 2 Continues: description of student anti-war demonstration in Cairo, Egypt; attitude of Egyptians to Saddam Hussein and United States of America; hostility experienced due to British Government's support for United States of America; attitude to war; overall results of research team; guidelines for reporting war; use of language; composition of British Broadcasting Corporation World Service reporting team; number of correspondents in Baghdad, Republic of Iraq; problem of providing 24 hour coverage; use of embedded reporters; opinion of American funded Doha Convention Centre in Doha, Qatar; opinion of American journalists; working methods in dealing with flow of information; opinion of British Broadcasting Corporation World Service correspondents; limitations on correspondents in Baghdad, Republic of Iraq. REEL 3 Continues: question of danger to correspondents; description of training received from Special Air Service; protective devices; protection against chemical and biological attacks; question of increased danger following fall of Saddam Hussein; reputation of British Broadcasting Corporation World Service; importance of using Arabic speakers; question of maintaining balance; access to Prime Minister Tony Blair through British Broadcasting Corporation's Arabic Service; attitude to reporting anti-war movement; increase in American listeners to British Broadcasting Corporation World Service during war; question of political pressure on British Broadcasting Corporation World Service; attitude to uniqueness and independence of British Broadcasting Corporation World Service; opinion of coverage of aftermath of war; question of negative coverage of United States of America during Iraq War; further comments on use of language in reporting; opinion of lessons learned from Iraq War. REEL 4 Continues: reflections on British Broadcasting Corporation World Service's coverage of war.