Madeleine McCann: What Shannon Matthews Is Worth, Asda And PR
MADDYWATCH - Anorak’s at-a-glance guide to press coverage of Madeleine McCann and Shannon Matthews
THE SUN: “£20k reward in Shannon hunt”
THE Sun yesterday offered a £20,000 reward to find missing “little princess” Shannon Matthews.
Good on the paper. But does a reward help? Has it helped Madeleine Mccann? And why £20,000 when Madeleine McCann garnered so much more? Is a reward index linked to the missing child’s age? Or is it because Shannon’s parents are not middle-class - not doctors - and smaller amounts mean more to them?
We also printed posters urging our vast army of readers to help in the hunt for the nine-year-old schoolgirl. And last night her anguished mum Karen, 32, said: “I’m so grateful for all you are doing. It’s a fantastic gesture and means so much to us. We just hope it brings her back.”
Then, hugging Shannon’s stepdad Craig Meehan, 22, she added: “Our message to people is never give up . . . because we won’t until we find her.”
THE TIMES: “Poor little Shannon Matthews. Too poor for us to care that she is lost?”
“Her family may seem feckless. Neighbours can’t afford to run a PR campaign. How the public spotlight faded on missing girl.”
Shannon..?
Sarah Payne, smiling in her school uniform; Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, in their Manchester United shirts; Madeleine McCann, staring inquisitively with her distinctive bleeding iris . . .The names and faces of these girls who have disappeared are etched into the public’s collective memory.
Camera crews camped out in their home towns for weeks or months. Donations totalled thousands — even millions — of pounds. Members of the public, many of them strangers, came in their hundreds to offer help and prayers for their safe return.
Yet the trauma and mystery surrounding the disappearance of one nine-year-old girl almost two weeks ago appeared to drift from public consciousness within days…
She’s not Madeleine McCann. No doctors. No logo. No Maddy Catty. No watching the parents. The media treatment is no fault of the McCanns. But are we bored of missing children stories. Have the press caught Maddy fatigue?
Contrast the media-savvy McCann campaign with the brave efforts of Petra Jamieson, 30, a friend of Shannon’s mother, who managed to persuade her local branch of Asda to donate 24 white T-shirts on which the girl’s photograph had been printed.
What happened to Shannon Matthews? Who can we blame? The parents?
A deprived background, a dysfunctional family and a down-on-its-luck Yorkshire mill town: none of this is Shannon Matthews’s fault, yet it seems that she is paying the price.
No holiday scene. No excuse for hacks to go to hotter climes. Yorkshire in winter. Grey. Grim.
GLASGOW DAILY RECORD: “Mother’s Day Wish”
THE distraught mum of missing schoolgirl Shannon Matthews last night cried: “All I want for Mother’s Day is my princess back.”
DAILY MIRROR: “ALL I WANT FOR MOTHER’S DAY IS MY PRINCESS BACK”
Shannon Matthews’ desperate mother last night movingly declared: “All I want for Mother’s Day is my princess back.”As police continued searching thousands of homes for the missing nine-year-old schoolgirl, mum Karen, 32, said: “It is a special family day and we would all spend it together.
“Shannon would usually buy me a present or make me something at school.”
Stepfather Craig Meehan, 22, added: “It is going to be a heartbreaking Mother’s Day.”
LIVERPOOL ECHO: “Where’s media cry for poor Shannon?”
HOW disturbing that 10 days after Shannon Matthews disappeared, we still know so little about her. Her favourite band? The school she attends? The name of her best friend? All details that should be on our lips but aren’t.
But we do know her favourite song.
Somehow the vanishing of this little girl with her pony tail and fringe has failed to capture the media’s imagination; a story regularly consigned to the inside pages.
Why? Why do some cases attract saturation coverage and others don’t? I suspect it’s down to image, which stands for everything, and the skill now needed to work the notoriously fickle media.
Madeleine McCann’s parents have been criticised for employing a professional PR and for playing the media game, providing photo opportunities and press calls. But it’s paid dividends. The world now knows their daughter’s name and what she looks like.
Shannon’s mum can be no less distraught than Kate, but whether she has the support or the finance to get a media campaign on the road is doubtful.
But at the end of the day there is a little girl out alone in a harsh, cold world. And we should all be working together to get her home.
What part does the media play in finding a missing child? Don’t we have the police to search for Shannon and crack the case?
THE OBSERVER (Blog): “Speaker gets new spin doctor”
A Whitehall spin doctor who was a spokeswoman for Madeleine McCann’s parents has been hired to help the Commons Speaker, Michael Martin, deal with the media, it was announced today.
Not Campbell?
Sheree Dodd is an experienced communications expert who worked for John Prescott at the time it was revealed he was having an affair with his diary secretary.
Just another job…
Madeleine McCann- The PR Storm
Posted: 1st, March 2008 | In: Madeleine McCann, Tabloids Comments (798) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
Comments
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March 1st, 2008 at 10:27 pm
591
jo
Well I hadn’t until discussing with these other twins. They believe that he needs to know as he will sense that something is missing.
We thought that my wife had lost the baby but the doctors explanation was that there must have been twins.
March 1st, 2008 at 10:25 pm
I know someone who lost a baby. Was very much distresses. And months later delivered the other half of a twin, she didn’t know about. Sweet-sour happiness. I also have a friend, who needed a serious operation, because he’d been [unknowningly again] one of twins, the foetus of his twin was in his spine. And suddenly it started to grow again..,.
March 1st, 2008 at 10:24 pm
588
SteveT
Steve it was RR’s twin that’s why I was confused when you said you were sorry about my story.
I’m not sure about your son and telling him. If you were certain that this was the case then perhaps but if not then I don’t know what would be best. Sorry.
March 1st, 2008 at 10:24 pm
590
RR
Fine.In this case you go and put a name on the grave.
The name YOU choose for him.It will relieve you and makes you closer to him.
I am very sad to hear this.
March 1st, 2008 at 10:21 pm
588
SteveT
Have you ever felt it might have affected him in some ways?
March 1st, 2008 at 10:19 pm
587
jo Says:
March 1st, 2008 at 10:16 pm
578
RR
I think you should talk to them about it.
It can only be good for you AND them.I am sure even though they dont/havent said anything about it it would relieve them.
People change over the years and growing older they secretely wish to free themselves of pain or fear or “secret” they may hold or have held all their life.
Give it a thought.
xx
************
thanks for that but I cant bring myself to mention it.. Its like I was never meant to know….He’s even in an unmarked grave…not even a bloody headstone. Ca
March 1st, 2008 at 10:17 pm
584
Ciara Says:
March 1st, 2008 at 10:15 pm
578
RedRooster
Well, I’m here for you if you need me. x
********************
i know babe….thats really nice
March 1st, 2008 at 10:17 pm
Ciara,
No sorry to hear about your twin. We think my youngest son had a twin who was lost in early pregnancy. I have some friends who are twins who feel very strongly that I should tell him.
March 1st, 2008 at 10:16 pm
578
RR
I think you should talk to them about it.
It can only be good for you AND them.I am sure even though they dont/havent said anything about it it would relieve them.
People change over the years and growing older they secretely wish to free themselves of pain or fear or “secret” they may hold or have held all their life.
Give it a thought.
xx
March 1st, 2008 at 10:16 pm
582
Gandolf Says:
March 1st, 2008 at 10:13 pm
**************************
“really” PMSL gandy
March 1st, 2008 at 10:15 pm
I mean
it’s fun
but…
we’re all a bit tired
of no news
isn’t it?
March 1st, 2008 at 10:15 pm
578
RedRooster
Well, I’m here for you if you need me. x
March 1st, 2008 at 10:14 pm
March 1st, 2008 at 10:13 pm
There is this old rooster on a farm. One day the farmer said that he needs a younger rooster. So he buys one. He brings it back to the farm. The old rooster says, “I bet I can race you around the barn 3 times and win”. Then the younger rooster says “your on”. Then when they start the race, the old rooster jumps ahead, the younger rooster is right behind him. One lap, two laps, 2 and a half laps then BANG the young rooster is blown to smithereenes!!! The farmer was on his porch with his shot gun. Then the farmer says, “THATS THE 2ND FUCKIN GAY ROOSTER I HAVE HAD THIS WEEK
March 1st, 2008 at 10:13 pm
579
Ciara Says:
March 1st, 2008 at 10:11 pm
*****************************
im sorry i didnt mean to bring the tone down, I was just thinking about it thats all.
March 1st, 2008 at 10:12 pm
Yawn….
Because I’m tired.
Liked the jokes
Liked the courtship
but…
there are other things
like bed and the silken sheets
Good night!
March 1st, 2008 at 10:11 pm
571
SteveT
Steve, I presume you’re referring to RR’s sad story. I’m sorry to hear it too.
On a lighter note my post to you was about spending my weekend in the Temple Bar. At first I thought that’s what you were sorry to hear.
March 1st, 2008 at 10:10 pm
574
jo Says:
March 1st, 2008 at 10:06 pm
569
RedRooster
No one ever told you???
**********************
no and i’ve never spoke to my parents about it….. only ever spoke to my nan, and shes gone now
March 1st, 2008 at 10:10 pm
576
RedRooster
shhhh he is under cover ….
March 1st, 2008 at 10:07 pm
573
jo Says:
March 1st, 2008 at 10:03 pm
**********************
which ones eddie
March 1st, 2008 at 10:06 pm
572
Ciara Says:
March 1st, 2008 at 10:03 pm
569
RedRooster
Oh, come here ((((((hug)))))))
id love a hug 
You can talk to me if you want, you know that.
********************
I know babe thanks for that
March 1st, 2008 at 10:06 pm
569
RedRooster
No one ever told you???
March 1st, 2008 at 10:03 pm
jajajaja…lots to answer there!
Ciara
my thoughts abducted me yes…
Steve
I am concerned suddenly about these 2 dodgy guys.What do THEY have up their dirty sleves?
The PJ has always been very cautious and removed Amaral from the case.I think it was a good move.In favour of the PJ
RR
look at this beauty!
The Tapas9 (one is under the table)
http://bp0.blogger.com/_3HAnFzHSqqE/R2EMNKshDbI/AAAAAAAAAag/02yoqUtEeRA/s1600-h/partida_de_cartas.jpg
Ciara
I think I”ll stay at the same hotel but wont go any further than the basement.
March 1st, 2008 at 10:03 pm
569
RedRooster
Oh, come here ((((((hug)))))))
You can talk to me if you want, you know that.
March 1st, 2008 at 10:02 pm
Ciara,
Sorry to hear your story.
March 1st, 2008 at 9:59 pm
567
SteveT
I’ll keep that in mind. I usually spend my weekend in the Temple Bar anyway, so that’s handy.
I usually need to take a taxi.
March 1st, 2008 at 9:56 pm
568
Ciara Says:
March 1st, 2008 at 9:52 pm
562
RedRooster
Oh, you had a twin. Sorry.
he died very young and I only found out by accident when I was about 8 I think. No one told me, I just came across his death certificate when I was playing one day. I’ve never really talked about it… 
*************************
thats alright babe….thanks I never really came to terms with it…
March 1st, 2008 at 9:52 pm
562
RedRooster
Oh, you had a twin. Sorry.
March 1st, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Jo,
If you are going to Dublin there is a good 3 Star hotel called Uppercross House, 26-30 Upper Rathmines Road. (5 minutes walk to Temple Bar). There is also a good bar in the basement.
March 1st, 2008 at 9:51 pm
561
jo
The past few times I’ve stayed at the Camden Court Hotel. I usually fly over on a Friday evening and back on a Sunday. I’m hoping to go the weekend after Easter. 29/30th March.