Dymydiuk, Jason (2019) Filling the information void : GCHQ, NSA, and investigative journalism, 1971-2012. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

Edward Snowden is the most famous whistleblower of the twenty-first century, revolutionising the debate on the activities of NSA and GCHQ. His 2013 release of documents and personal story confirmed the alarms raised by investigative journalists over the previous decades. The two agencies were overstepping their mandate in intelligence, challenging civil liberties in the UK and the US. Yet, Edward Snowden was not the first communications intelligence whistleblower, nor was he the first person that raised the question of the potential wrongdoing of GCHQ or the NSA. Over the four decades between the first whistleblower, Perry Fellwock, and Edward Snowden the oversight role of investigative journalism had successfully disclosed activities of GCHQ and the NSA. Motivated by public interest these journalists sought to raise awareness of the potential dangers communications intelligence posed through both intense secrecy and unsatisfactory oversight.

This thesis argues that the period before Edward Snowden should not be neglected given the important role it played in the debates about state power, oversight, and accountability of the surveillance capabilities of the UK and USA. Investigative journalists challenged the secrecy around communications intelligence, raising awareness of activities they believed the public deserved to know their governments conducted in their names. The secret state and their agencies appeared to weather the storm of media oversight. Between 1971 and 2012 the positioning of the NSA and GCHQ in their response to investigative journalism varied from a reasonably cordial relationship to threats and attempts at journalist prosecutions. Nevertheless, investigative journalism over the period of four decades succeeded in raising the alarm; they cannot be blamed for the limited response by elected assemblies – and oversight bodies – in addressing the questions they raised.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare P Language and Literature > PN Literature (General) U Military Science > U Military Science (General)
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Great Britain. Government Communications Headquarters -- History, United States. National Security Agency -- History, Investigative reporting -- Great Britain -- History -- 20th century, Investigative reporting -- Great Britain -- History -- 21st century, Investigative reporting -- United States -- History -- 20th century, Investigative reporting -- United States -- History -- 21st century, Leaks (Disclosure of information), Whistle blowing
Official Date:	September 2019
Dates:	Date Event September 2019 UNSPECIFIED
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Department of Politics and International Studies
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	McCrisken, Trevor, 1968- ; Moran, Christopher R.
Sponsors:	Economic and Social Research Council (Great Britain)
Format of File:	pdf
Extent:	375 leaves
Language:	eng

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