angle20 Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 The McCanns remain arguidos. The judicial process has not yet concluded. The whole episode has demonstrated the crassness of the British press. For the first 2-3 months there was not a breath of scepticism about the McCann account of the night concerned: even though any good journalist should have sniffed out some oddities about the story in the early days. We didn't even get to learn the names of their fellow holidaymakers in those first couple of months. Then stories in the Portugese press began to seep back here via the internet. The British press probably thought they'd lose some street credibility if they didn't reflect this. Perhaps the first change in tone was when the Mail published a detailed description and plan of the hotel complex. Hitherto the popular belief had probably been that the McCann apartment was just the other side of the swimming pool and easily accessible from the tapas bar. We now learnt, however, that traversing between the two involved going out of the complex gate, up a public street and then up a flight a steps. This raised interesting issues around whether the apartment had been left locked or unlocked. As time went on, and particularly after the McCanns were taken in for questioning, some of the press (the Express in particular perhaps) swung to the opposite end of the pendulum and engaged in an excessive amount of speculative and sensationalist reporting. We now have the Express group climbdown. The McCanns have been far from convincing performers in set-piece TV interviews (some for foreign channels which have not been shown here), so I'm not sure how well they would have fared if the Express had decided to take the matter to court. We need journalists who are intelligent, courageous, honest and decent. We might get them one day perhaps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddie Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Precisely. I know what I think and I have no shame in thinking it (according to the radio at the moment I should be ashamed for thinking they're responsible). DNA evidence, sniffer dogs, cadaver dogs, constantly left alone in an unlocked apartment at the side of a busy road, yet the media cannot speculate that these parents are not truly inoccent, why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cressida Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 This doesn't mean that they definitely didn't do it... I just said I don't believe they did it that's all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bagger Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 I can not believe the lack of empathy and concern for the safety of a little girl by some forumers, it truely astounds. I agree with you. I'm astounded that some people want to be so vindictive. How is this helpful? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bagger Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 The McCanns remain arguidos. The judicial process has not yet concluded. The whole episode has demonstrated the crassness of the British press. For the first 2-3 months there was not a breath of scepticism about the McCann account of the night concerned: even though any good journalist should have sniffed out some oddities about the story in the early days. We didn't even get to learn the names of their fellow holidaymakers in those first couple of months. Then stories in the Portugese press began to seep back here via the internet. The British press probably thought they'd lose some street credibility if they didn't reflect this. Perhaps the first change in tone was when the Mail published a detailed description and plan of the hotel complex. Hitherto the popular belief had probably been that the McCann apartment was just the other side of the swimming pool and easily accessible from the tapas bar. We now learnt, however, that traversing between the two involved going out of the complex gate, up a public street and then up a flight a steps. This raised interesting issues around whether the apartment had been left locked or unlocked. As time went on, and particularly after the McCanns were taken in for questioning, some of the press (the Express in particular perhaps) swung to the opposite end of the pendulum and engaged in an excessive amount of speculative and sensationalist reporting. We now have the Express group climbdown. The McCanns have been far from convincing performers in set-piece TV interviews (some for foreign channels which have not been shown here), so I'm not sure how well they would have fared if the Express had decided to take the matter to court. We need journalists who are intelligent, courageous, honest and decent. We might get them one day perhaps. Far from convincing performers???? Oh, so the 'performance' has to please everyone? Is there a blueprint on how to 'perform' during interviews about your missing child? I think if the Express had taken them to court then they'd have had to cough up even more money. If the Express were RIGHT in what they did then no money would have be given to the McCanns. The Express newspapers were in the wrong. There's nothing difficult in understanding this surely? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medusa Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 DNA evidence, sniffer dogs, cadaver dogs, constantly left alone in an unlocked apartment at the side of a busy road, yet the media cannot speculate that these parents are not truly inoccent, why? There is a difference between questioning whether the parents contributed in any capacity to the child going missing and alleging (over 100 times) specific wrongdoings against the parents, but just putting the allegations in inverted commas and making out that by repeating others' allegations that doesn't leave them liable to libel prosecution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bagger Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Or.... 'we do so because legally we have no other option.' Exactly. Legally AND morally the Express newspapers were in the wrong. End of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 That isn't really true. It has nothing to do with the legal or moral rights. It is a financial settlement with a single corproation that also carries an agreed statement made in lieu of the threat of a court case. It is proof of neither guilt nor innocence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darbees Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 The McCanns remain arguidos. The judicial process has not yet concluded. The whole episode has demonstrated the crassness of the British press. It has also shown the crassness of large section of the public who have gone along with some of the ridiculous and wicked allegations and attacked the McCanns. Perhaps some of those who have said such things earlier in this (far too big) thread might like to comment as their silence is deafening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteHawk Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Right, The Express/Star have paid up. What IF 6 months down the line, the parents are found to have killed their daughter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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