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 2nd, 2008 at 1:02 am
711
a McCann Supporter Says:
March 2nd, 2008 at 1:00 am
PMSL
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yeah right yer knob like they wouldnt have told the world if they had
March 2nd, 2008 at 1:00 am
March 2nd, 2008 at 1:00 am
710
Karen
There might be a door locking behind him soon!
March 2nd, 2008 at 1:00 am
679
RedRooster Says:
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:24 am
677
jo Says:
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:21 am
665
brandon
It makes me sick.
What on earth are the mcHorrors trying to show the world?
What have they done to others? why dont they help Shannons mum with a bit of cash? BASTARDS
Whats the f…is going on with these people?
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its simple jo they’re just bloody evil You dont think they care about anyone else do you. They dont even care about their own child IMO
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Bastards comes to mind when I read what you are putting about the McCanns. How the hell do you know what the McCanns have done? As far as you all know they may have contributed to the Shannon fund, and done a darn sight more than you lot have done. Have any of you bothered to look at the Shannon website that has been put up, and contributed yourselves, or are you too busy concocting more nastiness to spread about other INNOCENT people????
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:59 am
Gerry is going to influence policy makers?
Lock your door you stupid man!
(I hope that influences Gerry).
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:58 am
707
Ciara Says:
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:55 am
Oh, RR don’t be sad. Please..not when you’re so far away.
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im ok chick, just miss you
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:56 am
Ciara, is it still burning or did they put it out yet..?
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:55 am
Oh, RR don’t be sad. Please..not when you’re so far away.
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:55 am
703
a McCann Supporter Says:
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:52 am
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im sure they would McFool IF they could get some positive publicity for it….dont pretend they give a sh@t about anyone but themselves. We’re not as gullible as you.
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:53 am
700
Ciara Says:
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:48 am
697
RedRooster
In a way yes, in the form of mini-me, but not for long. Said she was looking at the firemen.
*************
I see
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:52 am
I FEEL SICK
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:52 am
690
brandon flours Says:
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:35 am
I would send her money now if I thought it would pay for her to keep her family fed for a couple of weeks without worrying, but the Mc canns have ruined that now!
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The McCanns haven’t ruined a thing, it’s the media that should be blamed. If you want to send money to Shannon’s parents nothing is stopping you - I’m sure the McCanns would be the first to applaude you for doing so!!
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:50 am
Day 302: 29/02/2008 Day:
It has been a relatively quiet week for us. We did hear from the UK police that the French have officially ruled out the reported sighting of Madeleine in Montpellier. It is disappointing that it took so long, particularly after the widespread coverage the reported sighting received in the media.
Today Kate and I met with representatives of two UK charities involved in missing and abducted children. Missing People is the largest UK non-governmental organisation involved in this area and a member of Missing Children Europe. The introduction of a Europe wide child alert system is strongly supported by both organisations. Missing People have also applied to run the 116 00 number, which has been reserved throughout the EU as a missing child hotline. Missing People were responsible for displaying Madeleine’s image on Marble arch, along with 2 other missing children last summer. It was heartening to hear today that one of those children was recovered as a direct result and the other has also been successfully returned to his family.
PACT (parents and abducted children together) is a much smaller organisation founded by Catherine Meyer. PACT is positioned primarily as an advocates for change in how missing children cases are handled and identified very early how poorly data on missing and abducted children are collected. PACT would like to see a national centre in the UK similar to NCMEC in the USA. It was uplifting to see how Catherine has maintained her passion, drive and commitment to try and make effective changes even after ten years of campaigning. Kate and I will work with the various non-governmental organisations to influence the policy makers who decide these important decisions.
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:50 am
699
brandon flours Says:
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:47 am
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i understand what you mean, I heard it on the radio and the little girl talking was in a terrible state.
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:48 am
697
RedRooster
In a way yes, in the form of mini-me, but not for long. Said she was looking at the firemen.
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:47 am
Red rooster
no I heard about it
I am such a coward sometimes!
I am hard as nails for survival for myself and kids, but if I have to voluntarily look at some one either very young or I know be upset, I CANT
!When they are all grown up and gone I might be able to share with others, but I need all the emotional strength I have for them first!
Plus I get re occurring nightmares that make me nervous
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:46 am
695
jo Says:
**********
G’nite jo
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:42 am
694
Ciara Says:
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:40 am
687
RedRooster
I’m still on the water, no wine tonight.
still got company……?
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can’t I temp you Ciara….
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:42 am
Good night Jo.
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:41 am
690
brandon
I am telling you something MUST be done and damn soon.Makes me sick really in my guts in my heart
I am growling inside out of frustration.
I am sorry I must go to bed now.Too tired to carry on.
Good night all.
Take care
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:40 am
687
RedRooster
I’m still on the water, no wine tonight.
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:39 am
691
RedRooster Says:
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:37 am
“hear”
***************
sorry
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:37 am
681
brandon flours
I think something needs to be sorted out here.
Surely with this sad case things have gone overboard.
Something must come out of it (beside their arrest)like new approaches etc….dont you think?
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:37 am
690
brandon flours Says:
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:35 am
************************
did you here the appeal by her friend yesterday. Very sad she was in bits poor kid
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:35 am
Jo
I would send her money now if I thought it would pay for her to keep her family fed for a couple of weeks without worrying, but the Mc canns have ruined that now!
I hope Shannons mum finds the lioness inside her to fight and to survive and to overcome this, for Shannon and all the other siblings who must be inconsolable right now
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:34 am
pppy Says:
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:25 am
I have returned from my one night shagfest to get pregnant by an unknown, thus enabling me to claim more benefits.
Hello, Everyone xx
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I heard about earlier, pppy what a knob hey
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:34 am
680
pppy
Good idea! .lol:
In spain theyve just set up a new scheme.Its absolute trash but the objectives are to “buy” inmigrants and repopulate spain.The govt gives a generous 2500 euros if you have a kid.If you are single its 3000 euros.
And nothingelse never ever.It is the most absurd thing a govt did.They are sooo fucking stupid
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:32 am
Ciara come here now will you….I need you
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:30 am
680
pppy
.
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:30 am
682
Ciara Says:
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:26 am
667
RedRooster
Glad you’re okay. I’m glad you had a chance to talk about things tonight. I’m always here for you.
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I know you are and im so glad… Im here for you too if you ever need me
Its really helped me to let things out… and to know so many people have been there for me tonight its really nice.