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Anorak News | Madeleine McCann: The Clock Is Ticking On Old News

Madeleine McCann: The Clock Is Ticking On Old News

by | 18th, May 2007

WHAT odds that if she has not been found and a suspect been charged Madeleine McCann will no longer be on the main news bulletin come Monday?

Today we saw the shift. Not all tabloids are leading with Madeleine.

Back in 2001, after the attack on New York, the Economist magazine asked Anorak for its thoughts on the tabloid take on the big story. We noted that after 13 days of terror and death the Page 3 girls returned. They are Anorak’s “barometer of business as usual”.

Madeleine McCann is today’s big news story. How long can it dominate the front pages for?

Simon Jenkins writes:

In this voracious feeding frenzy the media presence in Portimao was reduced to extremes of invention to justify the prominence the story was getting back home. We learned of false sightings, car chases, child traffickers, barren women, beach paedophiles and dark dungeons. A “suspect” was enveloped in private detective work way beyond any consideration for natural justice. The sympathy a reader or viewer was bound to feel for the McCanns was overwhelmed in an exploitative swarm. Star footballers were signed up, as were Hell’s Angels, MPs wearing yellow ribbons and ministers meeting deputations. It was as if a missing child were this year’s Make Poverty History campaign.

We hope for a happy ending, that Madeleine will be found alive and well. But not many of us believe it will happen. And right now the story is where it is out of force of habit. There is no news from Portugal. But the media has it that if they turn away then all hope will be lost. The media is important. The Sun’s poster. The News of the World’s reward. David Beckham on the telly. Coronation Street’s plot.

So the Mirror shouts. The BBC commits resources. And viewers clap the noble stance. But there is more news. There is always news. Gordon Brown for PM. War in Iraq. Rachel Nikell. Amanda Dowler.

When does the media move on? When is it decent. When do they think they can..?



Posted: 18th, May 2007 | In: Reviews Comments (27) | TrackBack | Permalink