By Trevor Kavanagh, Political Editor
THAMES TV has paid the price for defying Margaret Thatcher over their controversial Death On The Rock documentary.
They lost their franchise yesterday under rules brought in by Mrs Thatcher after the programme was screened despite Downing Street protests.
The ex-premier exploded when her appeal to the ruling Independent Broadcasting Authority was turned down.
She scrapped the IBA’s powers to hand out licences – and opened the contest to the highest bidder.
Then she axed the IBA under the New Broadcasting Act.
Mrs Thatcher said Death On The Rock, about the SAS shooting on Gibraltar of three IRA terrorists was “trial by television.”
The This Week documentary claimed the car-bomb terrorists were ambushed and gunned down by the SAS without warning.
The Government said the two men and one woman were shot after being challenged.
Tory backbench media committee chairman Roger Gale last night denied Thames chief executive Richard Dunn was the victim of “retaliation”.
Source: Page 2, The Sun – Thursday 17th October 1991
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