Someone has to ask...

[Prophet Hero]

You're not wrong - they call this journalism ?

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/...283344,00.html

Jesus wept.

Now, that Iraq is no longer newsworthy is this what 'embedded journalism' has become? They've even listed the bloody flight number! I'm surprised there's no reaction from Stelios either!

[Yoshimax]

It's frankly absurd to think somebody got paid to write that ****e.

[Kotatsu Neko]

There was a quite extensive explanation to their coverage of this on the BBC website months ago, in response to complaints such as yours. You must have missed it, I'm sure it's still around.

Was it something along the lines of -'it's getting lots of clicks so the public are clearly interested in it. Therefore we will continue until the hits dry up'?

The Sun sells by covering it's front page with scantily clad women, and The Daily Mail sells by covering it's front page with racism. Neither of those are what I would call good, responsible journalism though and I would expect more from the BBC.

[ChrisF]

Just watching BBC 6 o clock News and theres a story on there of a couple who's daughter is missing. Both of them in tears, both obviously distraught, both of them behaving VERY differently to the McCann's. I know people act differently but there was a WORLD of difference between to the two sets of parents.

[Yoshimax]

Yes but their child (15 not 3) is missing in the UK - obviously if you're going to go missing and be alright then Portugal is where you want to be - it's simply the case that the Mccanns understand that.

[toythatkills]

Was it something along the lines of -'it's getting lots of clicks so the public are clearly interested in it. Therefore we will continue until the hits dry up'?

Don't bother looking for it, just make up your own version, fine. Who needs facts anyway?

Click 'editors blog' on the news pages.

[Yoshimax]

don't do it KN you'll just add another click - I checked it and you were right anyway :

It’s clearly a dramatic story and one in which people are interested: the number of people watching our TV news bulletins is one or two million up in the past three days. The number of people reading the McCann story on the BBC News website is four or five times greater than any other story. There is unprecedented audience interest, and people do turn to continuous news networks - BBC News 24 overwhelmingly ahead of competitor networks - and they expect to have that information brought to them.

Funny I thought it was meant to be a public service paid for by us not some "chase the figures" bollocks - isn't that what's supposed to make the BBC unique and justify us being forced to pay for it???

[Lyris]

SKY News are now reporting that the DNA found in the back of the hire car - (apparently under a removable piece of upholstery - not simply thrown in the back of the boot?) - is a 100% match to the missing girl's.

[Pavey]

Here

[Jebus]

SKY News are now reporting that the DNA found in the back of the hire car - (apparently under a removable piece of upholstery - not simply thrown in the back of the boot?) - is a 100% match to the missing girl's.

...and for the first time I'm praying they DIDN'T have anything to do with it. It's a case of becoming real if you will. This kind of thing changes the world, this case is massive, worldwide and the coverage has been IMMENSE, if it turns out we were all fooled all along, the ramifications scare me.

We've had premier league matches where the players have been wearing the Maddy t-shirts before the game etc, if it turns out everyone has been fooled, humiliated, taken the piss out of...Jesus, what will that mean for everyone else?

What about the hundreds of thousands of people who HAVE had children abducted, as if they didn't feel bad enough about them getting no "coverage" they are going to be raging if it DOES turn out to be her parents that did it.

Next person who has a child abducted, and is genuine (as most are I'm sure)...will they be prime suspects straight away?

This is very, very dangerous.

[ChrisF]

Thing I don't get though is how they would have transported the body in he boot of the car, and then disposed of it, with the entire world's media watching them? Obviously assuming that this DNA proof is as they say it is...

[Jebus]

I don't want to be too morbid but a 3 year old (at the time) girl really isn't that big...

Coupled with the fact that nobody was really pointing the finger at them then, I don't think it'd have been that hard.

I also would add that I don't think (given how "grief stricken" they were) anyone would have stopped them and asked what was in the bags they'd put in their boot.

Christ, for all we know, one of the pictures of them walking that appeared in the papers could have had them carrying a carryall and that could have...well...you get the picture.

[ChrisF]

I suppose it doesn't bear thinking about does it really

[Jebus]

No it doesn't.

My 2 year old boy is the same size as a 4 year old girl in the same playgroup (and she's quite tall)...that's why I'm saying I don't think it'd be too hard to hide a 3 year old girl.

[SuperDanX]

Couple things i read today, the girls father has been quoted as saying it was 'a shame' the money sitting in Madalines fund couldnt be used for there defence! Which struck me as bizzare. Also the lawyers they've hired are apparently 'experts' in extradition law. Hmm. Ive been considering the possibility that they are innocent but that dna evidence seems pretty damming the 'facts' just arent clear enough for me to make any kind of judgement at the momment and without a confesstion id be suprised if they'd get convicited on the evidence that im aware of. Im not saying they did or dint do it, simply that i just dont know?