I wonder about the News reporting of IRA incidents in the 1980s.

I was between 8 and 18 in the 80's, so I wasnt really into the news so much.. more into video games, sport and lusting after girls

Even so, I seem to remember the IRA always being refered to as terrorists, and no other points of view being pushed. British army violence never seemed to make the headlines in the same way, and if it did, it was always an 'accident', and always defended to the hilt.

For those a little older than me who remember the news from the period better than I do, - was there a greater reluctance to criticise the government position back then?

It seems today that we can be openly critical of the government's stance on Iraq.

Maybe the war in Iraq was just less politically popular amongst the people? Or was journalism of the period less inclined to criticise government policy?