Lost child - Madeleine McCann

[downsouth]

It is a terrible tragedy but as has been said before with the exception of the broadcasters and traditional broadsheets there has been no steady hand or objective commentary from the media. The 'filth' most folk choose to read has been all one way for the British middle class family who came 'a cropper in Protugal' and now predictably things will go the other way. Before long a 'freind' of the family or an acquaintance will say how x or y has always had a temper or there was that time that Madeleine was spoken to 'harshly'. These papers peddle in filth and don't allow for justice to take its course.

Even on BBC brekfast you have these absurd questions being put to international fair trial experts as to whether the McCanns can expect a fair trial??? This Portugal not North Korea! How patronising and Xenophobic from the Beeb of all places.

I'm just glad the interviewee reminded them of which country this had taken place and the laws (the same as the ones over here) in place to 'protect' any, if the time arrives, accused.

[Asset]

C'mon spade, they wouldn't have had a chance to put her six feet under, in a heavy casket. That is why graveyards don't smell.

[spadetownboy]

Asset Wrote:

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> C'mon spade, they wouldn't have had a chance to

> put her six feet under, in a heavy casket. That

> is why graveyards don't smell.

dosent have to be 6 feet under in a heavy casket, 2-3 feet in a bin bag would suffice, and i always thought graveyards didnt smell because of all the flowers left in them.

[mamafeelgood]

just got back from holidays and they're even talking about it in france and switzerland. whatever the outcome it seems to have caught people up like diana's death, that odd human bonding in tragedy.

as for the who done it? well what worries me is that with high profile cases like this the police are often under immense pressure to get a result which can lead to many a miscarriage of justice.

[Jessie]

they're innocent until proven otherwise as far as i am concerned, what with us being a democracy etc.

[mamafeelgood]

i totally agree jessie, surely the papers would not be allowed to print half the material that they are in the UK if the case was happening here as it could influence the outcome of a future trial. people have certainly 'got off' before claiming that the pre case press had influenced the jury.

[SeanMacGabhann]

As I've said before, not having the facts of the case I'm not going to give my opinion on the whodunnit aspect but I do wonder if anyone on the forum has changed their opinion of any newspapers since the focus shifted to the McCann's

Before: Suffering but dignified shot's of the parents + heart-wrenching pictures of Madeline

After: Evil looking pictures of a haggard mother + more angelic shots of Madeline

"fair and balanced" indeed

[downsouth]

It's a nasty English/British approach to fame/celebrity and vulnerability - build them up, protect them, then knock them down and ostracise them. All the media bar none and many people are guitly of this.

Whatever the outcome I hope this proves sobering for those in need of it the most.