The Sun and The NOTW, being paragons of virtue and leading by example, hardly ever the facts get in the way of a good scoop. With the same man owning both Sky and News Corp, why should Sky News' journalistic values (and its reporters) be any different?
Hugely simplistic, the ownership of BSkyB and News International is diffrent.... they might share a common shareholder, but News Corp aren't the only shareolder in BSkyB
I wonder how the paper and media in general is getting such information, and whether the sources can be considered as reliable. It would appear that at present the various media is nervous about being the first to speak out against them, for fear of being shouted down by the rest of the media. I did come across a fairly neutral article though...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=480628&in_page_id=1770&ct=5
I'm not saying the family are guilty - I don't know. But I'm concerned at how the reporting has not moved on since the couple were declared as suspects. Sky News in particular give the perception of taking the family's side - an entire discussion this morning seemed to be giving the impression that Sky felt the Portugal authorities were these evil unknowns who were taking on the McCanns because they couldn't solve the case themselves.
What we have to accept at this point is, with the McCanns being declared suspects, they could theoretically be guilty. Ian Huntly was guilty of killing kids despite courting media attention.
Now I will say once again that I am NOT saying they are guilty, but that given the circumstances, the broadcasters should be dealing with this in an extremely even-handed way for now until things become clear.
Two words strike fear into the coverage of this case in this country - Louise Woodward. God help us all if we degenerate into that situation again - the poor, innocent UK victim of an evil foreign court.
Sky News has been shocking this morning. Non stop coverage about how the poor MaCanns are having to deal with the big bad Police.
Even asked a woman who will be on the same plane how she intents to greet them when they board the plane. "Will you clap them"? she was asked. "I think I will want to hug them" was the reply! err no, they are official suspects in the disappearance of their own daughter.
Hugely simplistic, the ownership of BSkyB and News International is diffrent.... they might share a common shareholder, but News Corp aren't the only shareolder in BSkyB
Funny, then, how others are now picking up on apparent one-sided reporting from Sky News.
StuartPlymouth posted:
But this is exactly the way some of the papers are heading. There is a remarkable difference between the way they are treating the McCanns and the way Morat was villified in the UK press when he was named as a suspect.
Well it never does help to have "rat" in your name, does it?
Funny, then, how others are now picking up on apparent one-sided reporting from Sky News.
It's been one-sided (and over the top) for a long while, and has got worse the last few days. It's not exactly covert, it has been noticed by some for ages
Sky News has been shocking this morning. Non stop coverage about how the poor MaCanns are having to deal with the big bad Police.
Even asked a woman who will be on the same plane how she intents to greet them when they board the plane. "Will you clap them"? she was asked. "I think I will want to hug them" was the reply! err no, they are official suspects in the disappearance of their own daughter.
It's very rare I get to see Sky News (as I have Virgin) but have been gawping at it over the last couple of days. Absolutely cringe-making in parts. Covering every inch of their journey home, including having a reporter on the plane is way over the top, especially considering that the reporter can't use his phone during flight!
Martin Brunt has been looking very haggered, almost like he's been interrogated for 11 hours too! I wonder if he's beginning to wonder if his credability as a crime correspondant is about to fly out the window if they get charged/convicted
From coverage of this case since day 1, it does seem to have turned into American style of speculating every move. Look at Robert Murat for example, the coverage he got is similar to how the US media go around people who become suspects and asking stupid questions.
In which case, it should now be a matter for the regulator.
Are you saying the one-sidedness applies to the BBC and ITN as well?
The BBC are getting better, but haven't been anyway as fawning towards them. Haven't seen much ITV news but they haven't been as bad as Sky. Channel 4 ave been better of course, but let down by the fawning interview by Richard and Judy a few weeks back... it's all the (british) mainstream media to be honest. They've just toed the family line all the way unquestioningly. I think it's very interesting that the foreign press, especially here in Europe have been beating the british press at its own game. Remember the outrage about that question from a german reporter a while back... he, as it turns out now, was well ahead of the pack
As for regulation... there's nothing any regulator could do as it's a matter of editorial judgement. It's not something that can be ruled on in the way that political coverage is. Should the parents be found to be the perpetrators then there will be a lot of egg on face and big questions asked in newsrooms around the country. That will be enough i think
ITV News is becoming an increasing embarrassment to television news - not just in this instance but in every way. Remember when they led with Ross Kemp assaulting his tabloid editor girlfriend one night ahead of more bloodshed in Iraq or wherever? And on the day of the BBC strike, Mark Austin took great pleasure in pontificating how "the BBC was brought to its knees" when in fact the disruption was minimal (and making the strike a non-event for pres fans!)
The narrative of ITV news bulletins is becoming increasingly opinion-led if you listen carefully. In fairness, however, ITV News was praised in the week for leading with Jane Tomlinson's death when the BBC did not.
Probably not a popular choice, but GMTV on Friday seemed ok from what i remember. It was the place i learnt that suspect is not the same in Portuagal, and mentioned this number of times. A talk with some former investigator (i think) talked about what it means in Portugal and what police can now do.
Now because ive mentioned GMTV it will be quickly dismissed, but i felt most of their coverage was reporting what had happend rather then goading the public into hate for the police or McCanns.
err no, they are official suspects in the disappearance of their own daughter. 