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The UK Defence Ministry and public information
How good is the UK Defence Ministry (the MOD) at releasing information to the public? Let’s look at its news releases for 13 May, 2008. Army launches ‘The Pipers’ Trail’ 13 May 08 – History and Honour – British Army Army Officer survives Taliban grenade attack 13 May 08 – People In Defence – Ministry…
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How well informed are “official” sources?
The usefulness of diplomats has long been a mystery to me. Former British diplomat Carne Ross has an anecdote that should ring alarm bells with anyone who wants to know how valid “official” government sources really are: I will here admit one shameful episode from my own career: when I was posted to Kabul, I…
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Public information in financial markets
Just come across a paper by two Italian economists on the social value of public information. Post Britain’s Northern Rock banking debacle, the words of two other economists [pdf] seem a little prescient: For a decision maker facing a choice under uncertainty, greater access to information permits actions that are better suited to the circumstances.…
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Journalism and the breakdown of public knowledge
“The breakdown of the means of public knowledge” is a phrase coined by the great American journalist, Walter Lippmann. He used it in Liberty and the News (1920), which is about to be reissued. His argument is simple. Robert Park summarised it thus: that political liberty, under modern conditions, is no longer guaranteed by the…