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9.
that even
most in the
world,
governments
open
have from time to time resorted to telling
and democratic countries
in the
lies to the public in
order to
suppress
the truth from
the
public.
And
our
government
is no exception.
In
recent press
made to the Ad Нос
group,
articles, and in
various
pertinent
representations
to repeat them here.
examples have been given and I do not propose
If a very responsible
newspaper has
got a tip-off
from a very reliable inside source about serious mistake being
The editorial board made by the government, what is it to do?
believes that it is 100% true after it has been confirmed by
also
other reliable sources on
an off the record basis; but it
And action may government is bound to deny it.
false news
knows that the
then be taken against the newspaper for publishing
likely to alarm the public. The defendants will find it almost
impossible
believ
for
to
that prove
they
is true, for
reasonable have
grounds
of a number
reasu.
news J that the
First, no newspaper would like to be seen in public to divulge
be
source Secondly, even if the
informer agrees to testify, which
still fail to establish
the source of its information.
revealed, unless the actual
is most unlikely, the defendants will
this defence even on
a balance of probabilities.
a defence to the press is like adding salt to injury.
To offer such