Do powerful individuals and organisations hold a monopoly over the truth? Power arises from a variety of sources. The Oxford English Dictionary defines power as deriving from "delegated authority", occurring "from within" or emanating from "the ability to act". The episodes "Smaller fish to fry" and "The Siege" from Frontline directed by Rob Sitch et al; The Crucible by Arthur Miller; and The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith, all provide damning evidence that whoever holds the power invariably succeeds in owning the truth. Furthermore, an insidious result of this ownership is that the truth is suppressed, distorted, manipulated and fabricated. The one in whom power is invested seeks personal or financial gain, retribution or fame; while the victims ultimately suffer from loss, misinformation, misrepresentation, or even death.
Power, arising from delegated authority, usually controls the truth via suppression. In Frontline the executive producer, Brian, exercises his delegated authority to control the release of truth to viewers. In the episode "Smaller Fish to Fry" Mike Moore has discovered a "massive [bank] cover-up", yet Brian does not want it aired due to pressure from the upper echelons of power: there's just a few legal things to clear up" and ironically ".we don't want to ruin these people because of one piece of footage". It is implied that an expose of a multinational firm's serious mistakes could result in the loss of jobs, or the withholding of promised favours. Instead the program exhibits cowardice by pursuing minor frauds, such as unprofessional fridge repairmen, and dry-cleaners who steal. The "small fish" create sensational viewing and Frontline continues the facade of moral responsibility, while allowing major fraud to continue. Mike Moore echoes the management line after he becomes the subject of emotional blackmail, via the threat of exposing minor crimes committed.
