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What lies behind the front page apology
Abject apologies to Kate and Gerry McCann on the front pages of the Daily Express and the Daily Star are unlikely to be the last words on the subject, according to MediaWise Bulletin, 19 March 2008.
DATELINE: 19/3/08The front page apologies to Kate and Gerry McCann ... make no mention of the way both newspapers and their Sunday stable-mates profited by running hundreds of stories implicating the couple [in the disappearance of their daughter, Madeleine]. Their main object was to increase sales by playing to the prurient interests of their readers. Speculation became news - the more sensational the alleged 'revelations' the better. It is this cynical abuse of power as much any additional hurt caused to the couple and their family, which should now be exercising the minds of editors, journalists and the Press Complaints Commission (PCC).
The PCC will doubtless declare this resolution a triumph for self-regulation. It is nothing of the sort. The McCanns were wise enough not to use the PCC route, which never achieves the sort of climb down represented by this 'out of court' settlement.
Both parties have avoided a costly court process, and newspapers remain free to keep open all lines of enquiry into what has happened to Madeleine. (Some will now be keener than ever to undermine the credibility of the McCanns.) And there is nothing to stop any newspaper applying similar sales techniques when covering cases that excite public interest.
This case should also encourage the PCC and its paymasters - the newspaper and magazine publishing industry - to rethink their objections to fines and compensation for trouble caused when the Editors' Code is breached. They argue that financial penalties would bring in the lawyers and reduce the likelihood of swift resolution. Their real concern is to avoid spending any money at all - Express Newspapers and the Star cut their losses to avoid even larger bills from Messrs Sue Grabbit and Runne. Perhaps this case will convince them that prominent corrections and apologies and a graduated scale of compensation payments would be a more effective reminder of their responsibilities to the public. If the PCC offered such a deal as an alternative to litigation it would truly level the playing field for those who cannot afford to take on the publishers.
At least the PCC could break its undignified silence about the tabloid persecution of the McCanns by issuing a cautionary reminder to editors on behalf Shannon Matthews' mother Karen, who lacks the resources to mount her own challenge about character assassination.
However, the most significant aspect of this damage limitation exercise remains hidden. The offending stories have been removed from the newspapers' online archives. This may be a satisfactory solution for the McCanns, although many others have been denied that privilege in the past. Rewriting history lets the newspapers off the hook in perpetuity. Stories which are proved to be inaccurate or otherwise in breach of the Editors' Code of Practice, are supposed to be electronically tagged, so that anyone referring back to them is warned to be careful about repeating the error. If the stories aren't there who will ever know what really happened? The newspapers should be required to tack the apology onto each offending story in their archives and indicate the facts and the fictions that hurt the McCanns - and misled the public.
Last modified: Wednesday, March 19, 2008
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World Press Freedom Day
More reporters are currently imprisoned in Turkey than in any other country in the world. Only a matter of weeks ago lawyers failed to persuade a Turkish court to release a 76-year-old journalist from a Turkish internet news station.
World Press Freedom Day on Friday May 3, 2013 is being marked in Britain by a rally to highlight the dangers facing journalists in Turkey and in this podcast, Nicholas Jones speaks to Barry White, Organiser at the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom, and Sam Bamford, the TUC's policy officer for Eastern Europe and Africa about the importance of a campaign to highlight international press freedom.
The World Press Freedom Day rally is being staged by the National Union of Journalists at the NUJ head office, Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1 on Thursday May 2, 6pm-8pm.
DATELINE: 27/4/13
UK launch of EU media campaign
DATELINE: 13/3/13
The UK launch of a 'European Citizens' Initiative' calling for EU rules against concentration of media power will take place on Thursday March 21 from 11:00am – 12:30pm in Committee Room 4A at the House of Lords, London. Guest speakers will include actor and activist Hugh Grant (pictured), media consultant Claire Enders, Professor Steven Barnett, Barry McCall (President of the NUJ) and Marc Gruber (Director of the European Federation of Journalists).
A European Citizens' Initiative is an official petition, like a Downing Street petition. If it succeeds in gathering a million signatures across the EU, the Commission is obliged to respond.
This petition calls for the EU to act to protect media pluralism and press freedom.
CPBF Annual General Meeting
DATELINE: 1/3/13
Make a note in your diary
Saturday 13 July 2013 from 10.00am
NUJ HQ, 308/312 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1.
Leveson, media ownership, CPBF future work.
DOWNLOAD FREEPRESS NOW
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Download Freepress in PDF, ePub or mobi format. Issue 194 now available.
MEDIA FOR ALL CONFERENCE
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Papers from the Media for All Conference
MEDIA MANIFESTO
DATELINE: 26/3/10
The media’s job is to inform and entertain us but we rely on them too to tell us what our rulers and representatives are up to. In the run-up to the Iraq war the government used spin and disinformation in the media to create panic and mislead people. The truth is coming out now, but we need stronger, more independent media to be able to scrutinise governments and make informed choices.
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Previous stories
Journalism Ethics
Media intrusion: sharing the blame
Ken's Islam study
War spin fall-out 'will be traumatic'
Sound Advice
The History of Spin
Can we trust the broadcasting media?
US journalist freed after record-breaking jail term
Media regulation - battle lines drawn?
New enquiry into press self-regulation
Independent journalist facing jail
Jail for journalists
Landmark Lords Libel Ruling
MEPs campaign to protect sources
It Ain't Half Homophobic, Mum: DeGrading the BBC
European Parliament initiative on protecting sources
'Conversation with a child trafficker'
Reporting Torture
The Moral Mirror
Fake news in the UK
Source's victory for Ackroyd
City Slickers trial
The Rise and Rise of the Censor
Product Placement
Children's rights v. press freedom - who wins?
Children's rights v. press freedom - who wins?
London Bombings: Missing Questions
Alter-EU launched
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US threat to protection of sources
Protection of sources: 'A denial of justice'
