The fourth estate is forced into silence by plutocrats and those holding power

Broadcasters and correspondents who felt compelled to investigate critical situations like problems in money-lending and beef production, for example — and there were others — found themselves in court or having to move abroad or in a different career.

They had challenged elements or components in power structures. Until recent times, one didn’t challenge the Church.

Satire tended to die with the arrival back to power of one political denomination or, indeed, vanished during one of such administrations. Satirists still remain fairly shy on topics.