Summary:

Erja Simuna, Newspaper coverage of the death of Bobby Sands – reflecting old power relationships?

IRA prisoner Bobby Sands died as a result of a hunger strike in a Northern Irish prison on 5 May 1981. The event was widely followed all over the world. This article discusses how the event was covered in four English-language newspapers: The Times (Great Britain), The Irish Times (Ireland), The Globe and Mail (Canada) and The Age (Australia). The aim of the article is to examine what kinds of mental images newspapers were attempting to create of the situation. A further aim is to examine if the images can be explained from the point of view of centre – periphery –relations. 

Newspapers had somewhat differing stances. The Times created an image of a separate conflict situation provoked by a terrorist organization alone. The Globe and Mail also focused on the violent sides of things but without blaming one side. The Irish Times and The Age considered the situation as the newest episode in a long historical conflict. Newspapers also saw the role of the British officials differently. The Times backed up government actions, where as The Irish Times and The Age had a more critical attitude.
Reasoning behind differences in images is multifaceted.

Interactional relations between the countries can be traced back to the British Empire, and even as late as the 1980s this still may have influenced the situation. For instance, Canada and Australia had had a similar political history with Britain but at this stage they were heading in different directions: Australia was breaking away from the British authority more vigorously. This difference can be interpreted as differing peripheral reactions to a centre. Also the stance of The Times may have some correlation to centre - periphery -dynamics. The Times considered itself as a part of the centre and acted as if a periphery was threatening its position.

It is clear that the centre - periphery -idea is too simple of a theory to be used in such a complex matter. It only hints at the existence of interdependencies, it does not explain them.