London/UK Riots Coverage (Sky News/BBC News Channel)

The poor individuals that have had their homes and businesses reduced to ruble may not see it quite as clearly as that.

Free speech -- in this case, the right of media outlets to cover the news -- has never reduced anyone's house to rubble. But it is the key precondition for a free, democratic society, and therefore serves as the basis for all other rights.

I'm somewhat regretting putting Sky News on.

Lee Jasper: No, I don't condone the looting or the rioting
Burley: So what do you condone?

I think her "I know best" tone just makes her line of questioning sound condescending.

LOL. Gotta lurve Kay.

Quite surprised to read people here talking about a possible media blackout.

It's ignoring the work of the Guardian and may reporters on twitter, and the live coverage on the radio.

First they can't fly the helicopters at night, only the police helicopter flys over london at night, so there's the quickest way of covering a fast moving situation like this gone.

Second it's the middle of the night, even with the second night there still aren't as many journalists working as there would be during the day.

Do you want them to broadcast every rumour on twitter with out checking and verifying it? For all the true accounts theres lots of rumours and exaggerations. Then there's getting the crew to the scene and setting up safely..

The media aren't normally a target for violence in a warzone. Last time I remember them being deliberately targeted was in Cairo, when they also pulled out.

Not really, I think most people, myself included, were thinking along the lines of there being a live television coverage "black out" - i.e. they could cover it, but were not allowed to broadcast live from the locations. However, in retrospect, I think it probably did come down to the logistics of getting people to location, and maintaining their safety and security once there.



Sky and BBC did have their helicopters up at one point last night - both channels had amongst their "recorded earlier" footage from them. And they certainly had them up during the night of the student riots.

Live footage of riot in Hackney on BBC NEWS Channel

Jim Clancy and Richard Quest currently talking markets on CNNI, leading global story. They're going live to the London riots next, and mentioned the current new riots (Hackney) on their opening sequence, with live footage.



Edit: Clancy cut Quest off midstream to go live to the Breaking News in London, expressing concern that the riots and looting are now occurring in broad daylight. Atika Shunert live on the ground in London for CNNI. Brixton, in fact.

CNN has Reuters live shots that are better than Sky imo.

Yes, ginny fan, they are better than Sky. Aren't you glad that Jim Clancy is on duty rather than Errol, for this Breaking News?

Everyone seems concerned that Boris is still on a beach somewhere.

^^^ Yes indeed, Errol is still a kid and should be kept in newsroom.