Alan Johnston, missing journalist RELEASED

For goodness sake. The people working at the BBC aren't robots. His friends and colleagues obviously care about him and want him to be returned safe and sound. I think the BBC are quite right to raise awareness about his situation and good on the other broadcasters for doing the same. This is a human being we're talking about. There was wall-to-wall coverage of the sailors in Iran as well as coverage for other hostages such as Ken Bigley, so it is only fair that Alan gets the same. To be fair, I think the media has not paid enough attention to Alan's situation - they've been far more interested in the sailors in Iran. When I've seen it mentioned it has always been during the 'in brief' news. It is about time the media did something more to publicise his case.

Really? There has been a plentiful amount of coverage, and I'm afraid I'm with Brekkie on this one. In my opinion, it is an abuse of the BBCs position and it isn't really any different from Iranian propaganda. Also, it's not like Alan's situtation has changed since a month ago. There has been NO news about his whereabouts, so it just looks as though the BBC are waging a propaganda war against the Middle East.

I really don't think that's at all the case. Yes let's be honest maybe the BBC wouldn't care so much if it was a Sky reporter that had been kindapped but if that had been the case would sky have done the same? absolutely. The fact is this man has been kidnapped (apparently) and no word has been heard. I don't think you can compare this to the Iran coverage there was almost wall to wall non-stop coverage on that ths has only been 1 or 2 items a week at most.

I'm not denying it's news-worthy - but it doesn't warrant an unprecidented simulcast with Sky News!

Don't be stupid. The Journalists in Palestine have all been on strike demanding Alan's release. Hardly the BBC against the Middle east

You grossly underestimate the close-knit nature of television journalism. 'Rival' crews look out for one another on the road, often help each other out, reporters often pool general information and know each other personally. It's not quite always the dog-eat-dog world people imagine it to be.

Don't call me stupid. Think about it. Who are the Palastinian journalists protesting against? Their government, maybe? The fact is, people are complaining the P gvnt is not doing enough to find Alan.
My other point, is that, would there be all this coverage had it been a non-western journalist?

Propaganda? Was Alan Johnston armed, in a boat and in disputed waters? What a ridiculous thing to say. He's an innocent man who's been kidnapped and for all we know worse, nobody disputes that. That's what the BBC and other broadcasters have reported, it's not propaganda. They're absolutely right to keep up with the coverage, and all credit to other broadcasters for doing a simulcast, it's a good way of raising awareness. What else do you expect them to do, just let it drop?

What is the point? He's missing, a few broadcasters airing a program about him going missing isn't likely to change anything.

Yes, when this sort of thing happens the rest of the news organisations do pull in to help. Look at the support the BBC got when the Hutton thing happened, all the other channels were supportive.... even Sky. This sort of thing is seen as an attack on the profession as a whole. The same with Terry Lloyd and John Mccarthy

Al Jazeera in particular have this support written into their Code of Ethics:

Stand by colleagues in the profession and offer them support when required, particularly in light of the acts of aggression and harassment to which journalists are subjected at times.

A good point but at the end of the day the BBC want the general public to see that they are all concerned and fretting about his where abouts.

He is missing and he will be until somebody gets of their backside and finds him! That's how it works.

It's keeping up the awareness of the case. In the 80's French Tv used to show a photo of one of their journalists who was kidnapped at the end of every news bulletin. ITN wanted to do the same for John McCarthy, but weren't allowed. Instead they subtley had one in the background in the trails for the One o Clock news