Hi you lovely Fair Commenters…spotted a tasty morsel on IRN today. Gerry McGann has criticised the press for the way in which the disappearance of his daughter Madeleine was reported. He’s answering questions from the Culture, Media and Sport Committee on privacy laws. He’s spoken-out in pretty blunt terms. I’ve HOPEFULLY embedded some AUDIO for your enlightenment…but, in case it hasn’t embedded successfully…it’s today’s IRN o45 or “MCCANN SELF”.
Got me thinking about the knife-edge we tread sometimes between indulging / exploiting the extensive freedom of expression / reporting we have here, versus intrusion / breaches of an individual’s basic right to privacy….yep, that ol’ Article 10 versus Article 8 debate (European Convention on Human Rights).
SAUL
Gerry McGann
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I think one of the fundamental questions that needs to asked is would the British media have gotten away with reporting in the way that the did, if the incident had occurred in the UK? I really think they wouldn’t, and they repeatedly used the Portuguese legal system and the McCann’s legal status as arguidos to devolve themselves of their responsibilities, and thus report things in ways that would not have been stood for in the UK.
However I think that the media felt that by constantly exposing the case, that they would help to find the truth about Madeline’s disappearance, and this could be something that may have been pushed by the McCann’s own spokespeople.
On the other hand, the vilification and treatment of Robert Murat, by the media was wholly unjustified, and again, came about only because he was not in the country and had been given aurgido status by the Portuguese authorities.
Perhaps more need to be done to safeguard British people abroad from the media, who seem to think that just because they are not reporting from within their own country, normal rules of engagement do not apply.
Hi guys! Firstly, loved the presentation, I meant to comment sooner. I thought the way you divided it into the different areas of the world worked well.
Secondly, in response to the McCann posting. It’s a really hard one: I couldn’t help feeling a twinge of uneasiness when I heard Gerry McCann speaking to the Select Committee. The fact is that the McCanns exploited the media enormously: of course they wanted to do all they could to draw attention to their daughter’s disappearance, but I couldn’t help feeling they went to an extreme.
Everyone knows how the British tabloids operate: all they’re interested in is shifting papers off the shelves; truth and accuracy often go out of the window. The McCanns must have known this. I am in no way, shape or form saying that they brought it upon themselves: nobody deserves to go through what they did. What I am saying is that if you do push for the level of publicity as they did, unfortunately you must expect that sooner or later, the tabloids will turn on you.
Hi guys, just to echo Rachel’s sentiments loved the presentation, I thought the different elements of role playing worked realy well.
Again I’d agree with what’s already been echoed in eralier comments. The McCann were always walking a tight rope, as anyone in the public eye does. On the one hand they’re needed to keep up the pressure and search for their missing daughter. And yet it’s almost ineveitable that once someone gets to a certain level of importance they’ll be turned upon.
I’ve often wondered if there’s some kind of agreement or contract that could be reached between the media and McCann family, or any individual, for that matter where the media is forced, under Article 8, to only publish material which is first checked by a third party or unbiased censor.
I think what got me most about Gerry McCann’s meeting with the Select Commitee was the other person that was up in the Commons making an appeal that day too… that’s right good old Max Mosely.
Much harder to empathise with that one! Their stories couldn’t be much more different, but they did have one thing in common and that is to be ‘left alone’ by the media. They both believe that their right to privacy was abused by the press and the press expolited them freely with no regulation…
Mosley likened the PCC to “putting the Mafia in charge of a local police station’ .
In the McCann case I can’t help taking Gareth’s point of view and wondering if there couldn’t be some kind of agreement drawn up whereby material must be checked by a third party before it’s published…Saying that, I think it’s now more of a case of ‘public appetite’ taking precedent over ‘public interest’ and as Rachel said earlier the tabloids will do what they can to shift papers!