Like everyone in the country, I am deeply touched by the Maddie McCann case. But I have to take issue with Sky News tabloid journalism.
I appreciate that the level of coverage being afforded by Sky is viewed by many as a positive, as it keeps the case very much in the headlines, which as a parent myself, I would encourage. However, some of the sensationalism around "breaking news" really takes the biscuit. And then last night, they broke new ground.
News of the questioning of this Robert guy broke, and within half an hour, SKy were interviewing red top journo's and their own reporters, who gradually started to paint a picture of this guy who was unusually helpful to them and was hanging around doing some free interpretation for both the media and the police. One reporter from the Mirror, clearly overjoyed with her scoop, reported in her interview with Sky that she had reported this guy to the local police. Then they blasted his name, his mothers name, and then pictures of the pair all over the screens. They kept interviewing people who started making comparisons with the Soham murderer who had similarly hung around the scene etc........
They were vilifying this man, destroying his character, naming and shaming him, identofying the location in the Uk of his ex wife and 4 year old child.....and then, they started to row back a bit, as a lot of locals/family/friends came to his defence.
Now, he may end up being guilty of something, and if so, deserves what ever comes his way, but if he is just an innocent witness, then Sky have utterly destroyed this man's life. Needless to say, he won't have any course to redress to this appalling trial by media and public character assasination.
As I say, he may well be guilty of something, and in that case he will get his justice by the law of the land. But if he hasn't done anything, Sky have a lot to answer for.
I appreciate that the level of coverage being afforded by Sky is viewed by many as a positive, as it keeps the case very much in the headlines, which as a parent myself, I would encourage. However, some of the sensationalism around "breaking news" really takes the biscuit. And then last night, they broke new ground.
News of the questioning of this Robert guy broke, and within half an hour, SKy were interviewing red top journo's and their own reporters, who gradually started to paint a picture of this guy who was unusually helpful to them and was hanging around doing some free interpretation for both the media and the police. One reporter from the Mirror, clearly overjoyed with her scoop, reported in her interview with Sky that she had reported this guy to the local police. Then they blasted his name, his mothers name, and then pictures of the pair all over the screens. They kept interviewing people who started making comparisons with the Soham murderer who had similarly hung around the scene etc........
They were vilifying this man, destroying his character, naming and shaming him, identofying the location in the Uk of his ex wife and 4 year old child.....and then, they started to row back a bit, as a lot of locals/family/friends came to his defence.
Now, he may end up being guilty of something, and if so, deserves what ever comes his way, but if he is just an innocent witness, then Sky have utterly destroyed this man's life. Needless to say, he won't have any course to redress to this appalling trial by media and public character assasination.
As I say, he may well be guilty of something, and in that case he will get his justice by the law of the land. But if he hasn't done anything, Sky have a lot to answer for.