Searching For An Old SciFi Story

[BeAChooser]

Hi. I just joined. I'm searching for the name and author of a science fiction story (possibly a book) that I read many (about 50+?) years ago. It was about a society beneath a cloud shrouded planet that a spy of sorts was sent to find out what was going on. In the story, he discovered that secret meetings by government officials were illegal. All meetings of any kind between or with government officials had to be broadcast real time on a sort of public internet so they could be monitored by the public. Further, I seem to recall it was illegal for a government official to make an untrue statements to the public or for the media to report statements they knew to be untrue. If they were caught doing so, they were prohibited from being in government (or media) and punished severely. Does anyone here by any chance remember such a novel or story? Thanks in advance.

 

[The Judge]

Can't help you myself, but I'll move the thread over to Book Search which is where certain knowledgeable members congregate as they take great delight in solving mysteries like this one!

 

[BeAChooser]

Thanks.

 

[Parson]

Haven't a clue as to the book. But this must be my ultimate fantasy. --- Honest politicians and honest journalists.

 

[PaulMmn]

Well, as Heinlein once said (I think it was in "Stranger in a Strange Land"), newscasters were limited in the words they could use that were 'inciteful' or otherwise provocative... but a good newscaster could get the effect of a grade 4 word with a couple of grade 2 words....