The Relationship Between Mass Media and Secret Intelligence

Abstract

Both intelligence and the media operate in the industry of information collection, analysis and dissemination. Therefore some amount of interaction between two actors is inevitable. The inherent problem with this relationship is the tension around the intelligence agencies? need for secrecy and the citizens? right to know, which the media aims to fulfill. This study establishes a framework within which the media-intelligence interactions in a given state may be analyzed. A fundamental question is raised: Under which conditions and in whose favor the point of contact between two institutions occurs? Is it the regime type that determines the nature of their relations, as the prevailing literature suggests? I propose that the factors that define the tone of these interactions are the levels of autonomy and penetration of the intelligence services and the media outlets? commitment to investigative reporting. Based on this assertion, I adopt six models of media-intelligence relationship. The findings are further applied to the case-studies of the United Kingdom and the Russian Federation, which represent a variety of scenarios of the media-intelligence encounter.