Undisclosed Interests: UK Media's Systemic Failure to Reveal Ex-Military Officers' Defence Ties

This investigation exposes a critical gap in UK media accountability: nearly 60% of retired military officers with defence industry financial stakes were cited as 'independent experts' without disclosing their interests. When audiences cannot assess conflicts of interest, defence policy debates—which shape military spending and national security decisions—become fundamentally compromised. The findings reveal how editorial negligence blurs the line between objective analysis and industry advocacy, eroding public trust in expert commentary on critical policy issues.