They were discussing about the case on Larry King Live last night/this morning. I'm surprised the parents weren't on there for a US exclusive. Larry did briefly interview Robert Muir. They had him down as ITN reporter/correspondent. Now offically is it ITN or ITV News that he works for, because when i did my interview with Chris Rogers, i was told we had to refer to him as ITV News'.
Technically he works for ITN, as that's a separate company to ITV. While the bulletin carries
ITV News
branding, he still works for ITN and I would assume that appears on his payslip.
ITN, if I'm right, do still supply some news bulletins to America, so the ITN name would be more familiar than ITV in the States.
I think ITN gives repackaged ITV and C4 stories for some portions of the Newshour with Jim Leher.
Maddy's name was written in a sort of
Neighbours
-style cursive script on the videowall on today's
Six
. It's unnervingly like how the
Daily Obsess
treats Diana.
I think that this shows how one thing can turn into an ego trip for the parents - if it had been a working-class family living in Peckham the media coverage would have been nowhere near as sensationalised.
Three factors seem to have been making this such a big story: a) the fact that the McCanns are making such a big deal about it. No problem, I say - if I had a daughter who had been abducted, I'd want to publicise the case in the media.
b) the ludicrous attention from the tabloid press. Because the case has been publicised so much, it's become pretty much a free-for-all franchise.
c) the fact that there are some foreigners for the
Daily Mail
to bash.
The way that the little girl's disappearance has effectively turned into some kind of craze is quite disgusting (quoted from the C4 news presenter)
d) The media climate was just right at the time of her disappearance - very little to report on.
There is some acknowledgement of the reports on the BBC News site...
Quote:
It comes amid unconfirmed reports in Portuguese newspapers that police now think the missing girl is dead.
Her parents, Kate and Gerry, say they still believe their daughter is alive.
In recent days they have been forced to deny allegations they were somehow involved.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6941556.stm ...I guess that's about as much coverage they'll give the allegations for now, though I can't recall it being mentioned in the TV bulletins. Though it seems more neutral than the Daily Mail...
Quote:
Exactly 100 days since Madeleine McCann went missing it's emerged Portuguese police have dramatically changed their attitude towards her parents in the last week.
As Gerry and Kate McCann today mark the 100th day since their child vanished, a family friend revealed that detectives have adopted a "very different tone" and been more "formal" towards the couple.
The switch comes after a week of innuendo in Portuguese newspapers, based on anonymous police briefings, that Madeleine was not abducted but was killed in the family apartment.
The latest revelation is sure to fuel speculation in Portugal that the parents were in some way involved.
Despite that, sources close to the McCanns insisted last night the couple did not feel they were being treated by police as suspects.
Incidentally I noticed that the Daily Mail article only shows 3 'samples of the latest comments' on the article. It would seem they've been picked for biased compared to when reading all 7 comments so far.
The YouTube channel for missing children in general did seem like a convenient distraction away from recent events/speculation. Whilst not a fact and merely opinion I wonder if the McCanns tried to leave Portugal whether they could be prevented by the police investigators, which would certainly raise an eyebrow from some. Similarly it would probably raise more of an eyebrow if they were interviewed in the UK by the police compared to being 'spoken to' in Portugal. With the police investigation officially taking place in private it's difficult to know how the investigation is progressing (apart from unofficial/off-record sources), and similarly we don't know how much the McCanns know about the investigation.
There is an interesting article though on the Daily Mail's site which does seem more critical...
Quote:
In another uncomfortable development the Portuguese press, including the respected newspaper Dairio de Noticias, has claimed that interviews given by the McCann group to police contain discrepancies. Their stories and the timings of their movements on the night do not tally.
Furthermore, emails and phone messages sent between the group - and intercepted by the PolÌcia Judiciaria and British detectives helping the inquiry - are reported to contain conversations that contradict earlier statements.
Quote:
But what of Madeleine's bedroom? It was situated next to the apartment's front door which is around the corner and a further 30 yards on, next to a road into the resort and a busy carpark.
Notably the bedroom, completely out of the sight of the tapas bar, had heavy, metal window shutters. These were also contaminated in the search.
Even her bedtime toy Cuddle Cat - which is now carried by Mrs McCann - was not isolated for forensic analysis.
Local newspapers and television have criticised the McCann group, who left their children alone for two and a half hours as they wined and dined.
One question being asked is why didn't the parents put their children in the evening creche which is open until 11.30pm? Why didn't they hire a babysitter, bookable at the Mark Warner reception desk?
In a further twist, locals now claim that Madeleine did not always settle well. One evening they allege she ran away into the paths between the apartments, hiding for half an hour when it was time for bed.
The police have now acknowledged that Madeline may now be dead. They've also said that neither her family or their friends are being treated (currently) as suspects and are still being treated as victims of the crime and witnesses.
(Source: BBC News)
Why do they treat 100 days since she disappeared as something significant? 100's just a number after all.. you'd expect it after a year maybe (let's hope this story is over by then) but I don't know what's special about 100 days.
Something that is puzzling me about the McCanns... IIRC they are doctors aren't they? So what is happening regarding their jobs back home? Are the NHS paying them for their "sabbatical"? Unless they've resigned from their jobs?
Shipman was a doctor too. And word round the campfire is that he was a bit of a lady killer. Then there is the Angel of death. How many babies did she kill?
It's unnervingly like how the