Media blackout

A media blackout is the censorship or restriction of news related to a certain topic, particularly in mass media, by authorities, organizations or the media itself. A media blackout may be self-imposed, legally enforced by courts, governments or states, or implemented through technical measures that block or degrade electronic communication.

In countries with strong freedom of speech laws and traditions, media blackouts enforced by a government or military are generally rare and highly controversial, especially in peacetime. In those countries, there is sometimes support for media blackouts during armed conflict, but that support is generally limited and voluntary, rather than mandated by force. In the United Kingdom, sensitive national security information is managed through the Defense and Security Media Advisory (DSMA) notice system, established during World War II and still in operation. This Committee can request media blackouts on certain topics on voluntary basis. In many cases, some media outlets complied while others did not, as it was non-binding.

In countries with centralized, authoritarian governments, media blackouts are commonplace, often enshrined by law, directive, or decree or by the implied threat of harm should media criticize the government. For example, media in the Soviet Union mostly cooperated voluntarily with government media blackouts on a wide variety of issues. However, media less sympathetic to the government were discouraged from violating the blackouts out of fear of arrest, prosecution, or execution.

Media blackout should not be confused with related but distinct concepts, such as prior restraint, which refers to a specifically government-enforced prohibition on publication before it occurs, or gag orders, which are binding judicial or executive orders restricting disclosure.