Censorship of the popular press
DORA meant that the national press was heavily censored and the flow of information to the press from the front was restricted. Some newspapers, especially those traditionally on the political left, such as the Manchester Guardian, remained sceptical of the war throughout. However, many were vociferously enthusiastic! The Daily Mail being the most obvious and loyal. The Daily Mail's reporting was so subjective that the troops created their own alternative paper, the parody, 'The Daily Liar'.
In 1915 the Cabibnet agreed that a select number of journalists should be allowed access to the front under strict supervision. Amongst these was the Daily Telegraph's Philip Gibbs.
The result were reports that were underalistic, comical and blatantly untrue!
