Madeleine McCann: BBC Is Live, Peter Wilby’s Right, Stephen Glover Investigates And Tabloid Facts
MADDIE WATCH - Anorak’s at-a-glance guide to press coverage of Madeleine McCann
Today Portugal’s attorney general, Jose Pinto Monteiro, is to make a statement about the Madeleine McCann case. Reports that the inquiry into her disappearance will be shelved.
This means Kate McCann, Gerry McCann and Robert Murat – the three named suspects – might be cleared.
But what crime occurred? Kidnap? Murder? Paedophilia? Neglect? The Portuguese police have never been able to say for sure.
The BBC has its man in Portugal. It’s “live” from Portugal. And we are watching the parents.
DAILY MAIL (front page): “New agony for Kate as Maddie detective cashes in”
Kate and Gerry McCann are expected to be told today that the inquiry into their daughter’s disappearance is being shelved.
But in a heartbreaking blow, a book by the disgraced former head of the investigation will be published on Thursday promising ‘explosive revelations’ about the inquiry.
The memoir by Goncalo Amaral reportedly contains allegations that Madeleine died accidentally in her parents’ care, and that they disposed of her body to cover up the death.
Why would this be agony now when it is a theory already mentioned in newspapers?
Let’s just stick to the facts:
The McCanns, both 40, vehemently deny the claims.
DAILY MIRROR: “Ex-Maddy cop’s book ‘to tell all’”
Former Chief Inspector Goncalo Amaral, 48, was axed from the investigation last October after criticising Kate and Gerry and the UK police.
But the disgraced officer is expected to repeat his controversial claims when the book - Truth About The Lies - hits the shelves on Thursday.
Will the Mirror dare to repeat the claims? The Mirror deals with facts:
Kate and Gerry, both 39, of Rothley, Leics, are today widely expected to be cleared as official suspects in the case, along with Robert Murat, a Brit living in Praia da Luz.
Such are the, er, facts.
THE GUARDIAN: “Murat’s £800,000 - a minor marketing expense”. Says Peter Wilby:
The 2007 marketing budget for the Sun was estimated at £16m, that for the News of the World at £5m - and the figures are likely to be higher this year. The budget for the Daily Mail may be close to £20m. When you look at those figures, £72,727 seems like small change. But that is the figure you reach if you divide the collective damages of £800,000 paid to Robert Murat and two others falsely linked to the Madeleine McCann abduction, between the 11 offending newspapers, including the Sun, News of the World and the Mail. Legal fees will probably boost the cost to each paper well beyond £100,000 - but, if you regard smear stories as a circulation booster, you might reasonably treat the overall costs as a minor charge on the marketing budget.
They got off lightly.
The INDEPENDENT: “Stephen Glover on The Press”
All of us will feel a great deal of sympathy for Robert Murat, who accepted damages of £600,000 from 11 British national newspapers last Thursday. Mr Murat was for a time an official police suspect in the search for Madeleine McCann, the little girl who disappeared in a Portuguese resort last May.
He still is an arguido. But go on. Glover wants to see if the broadsheets behaved as badly as the tabloids:
The Times also mentioned on at least three occasions that Mr Murat had told friends that he was missing his own estranged daughter, who was the same age as Maddy. On 18 May the Daily Telegraph reported claims that a home-made video of a “disturbing sexual nature” had been found in Mr Murat’s villa, and on 11 July it informed readers that he could be questioned by police over “intriguing emails”. Such vivid details, whose veracity has never been established, hardly undermined the false impression of Mr Murat’s involvement.
I do not deny the tabloids sometimes went further, with the Daily Express probably being the most egregious in its suggestions of a paedophile ring. No doubt tabloid headlines were also bigger and more dramatic. But it is surely undeniable that, albeit in a more circumspect way, the quality papers also implicated Mr Murat, relying mostly on police evidence, but sometimes adding touches of their own. Incidentally, I am sure that some television news programmes also displayed tabloid excesses.
No mention of the tabloid-sized Independent being a quality read, nor of its past comments on Murat. Such is the strength of Glover’s investigation…
DAILY STAR: “NOW PLEASE HELP US FIND OUR MADDIE”
Our Maddie:
Their spokesman Clarence Mitchell said: “All Kate and Gerry want is to be allowed to keep looking for their daughter and have this weight of guilt by association lifted from their shoulders. They will make it clear that they will continue to search for Madeleine, come what may.” Yesterday a legal source close to GP Kate and heart consultant Gerry, both 40, said: “They have been told that their status of arguido will be lifted.”
DAILY TELEGRAPH: “Kate Summerscale: the perfect crime story - Summerscale found her subject in an 1890s anthology of famous Victorian crimes.”
There, among other forgotten horrors, was the Road Hill House murder, as famous in its day as the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
A point of reference for an otherwise dull book?
The savage death at the heart of this mystery was that of a three-year-old boy, Saville Kent, stolen from his cot and brutally killed.
Suspicion immediately fell on his father, Samuel, the other children and the servants.
It was notorious, Summerscale says, because “it was a middle-class child murder and it exposed things about the family that were fascinating and horrifying.
Newspaper editorials of the time said that no mother in England could sleep easy until this crime had been solved, so it took on an immediate symbolic importance.”
THE BBC is live in Portugal, just as it was over a year ago at the start of this single-thread story…
Posted: 21st, July 2008 | In: Broadsheets, Madeleine McCann, Money, Tabloids Comments (869) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
Comments
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July 22nd, 2008 at 7:46 am
Dunc, whya you no lika mya links you prefera da skwerr sliced.
http://tinyurl.com/6grc3a
July 22nd, 2008 at 7:44 am
Ferdinand! Pray tell. I’m not sure what happened at weekend. Have I missed anything? Thanks.
July 22nd, 2008 at 7:44 am
COCO
Quick, O Thou,feeble minded,be second on the new thread
July 22nd, 2008 at 7:43 am
JO! You Saint and Saviour of the witless and feeble-minded! Me being one of them! X
July 22nd, 2008 at 7:42 am
Rasputin Says:
” Lots of blood letting in the dark place tonight, their star poster is being exposed as a fraud and a troll, how apt. ”
The star poster has done his job well methinks. That has become obvious over the last weekend.
July 22nd, 2008 at 7:41 am
Well said Gandolph! Yeah!
But I don’t think that the Portuguese Authorities have been able to get any grip on the whole reality!
I think that European and British Parliamentarians have lent us the reality!
I say ‘lent’ because it’s a loan!
Not that the UK Government is into loans - but they have declared an interest - if one would excuse the pun!
However there is about to be another reality check/cheque! Mate!
July 22nd, 2008 at 7:41 am
Good morning
July 22nd, 2008 at 7:40 am
Read me and swivel. http://tinyurl.com/THE-way-it-is
July 22nd, 2008 at 7:35 am
Ann Says
am I on “the naughty chair” ?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
What you do in the privacy of your own home is up to you (you haven’t got an aqua pet, have you?)
P.S. Can’t see any of you’re comments in Moderation or the Spam Folder ?
July 22nd, 2008 at 7:34 am
Get used to it.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=IeZQbNn8Aos
July 22nd, 2008 at 7:31 am
You gotta laff even though it’s a serious matter, the usual fukwits spinning twisting and bending reports to their fantasy world. Thank the Lord the Portuguese Authorities have got a better view of reality than some of the cyber nonces who pervade the boards. If you are in any doubt as to the present situation, have a nice lay down in a dark room permanently. Did I mention there are no known arguidos in this case.
July 22nd, 2008 at 7:27 am
X
July 22nd, 2008 at 7:26 am
M & A I just submitted two comments, the second one as an experiment, as they are not showing up in the thread. Not world-shattering observations I must admit, but am I on “the naughty chair” ?
July 22nd, 2008 at 7:24 am
chenier Says:
July 21st, 2008 at 9:29 am
M3’s greatest hits:
“we have a fairly certain idea of who she is with.”
………………………………………………………………..
…go on then ? who ? where ? why haven’t you brought her home then ?
July 22nd, 2008 at 5:25 am
meercat …… Ace! It was music to my ears ……. I was on the verge of hanging myself with the injustice of it all - before I realised that there are some acutely bright people here on Anorak! And that I am not alone in my wilderness of abject fear of conspiracy! lol
July 22nd, 2008 at 5:21 am
chenier Says:
July 21st, 2008 at 9:29 am
M3’s greatest hits:
“we have a fairly certain idea of who she is with.”
………………………………………………………………
Yes - and that goes along with “we’ll have her home by Christmas” …just omitted to say which one and what Millenium that might be in
July 22nd, 2008 at 5:08 am
Spudgun are you going to set this open letter to music or musac?
July 22nd, 2008 at 4:51 am
I want to know what Mr Amaral has to say about English bizzies appearing out of nowhere within hours of this debacle.
My hair is standing on end - and I have waist-length hair! I have goose-bumps all the way up my arms and I keep getting that ’somebody walked over my grave’ feeling!
I don’t get this for nothing.
‘Tis an ill wind that blows and swirls about in the mist that is in the midst of this tripe soup!
July 22nd, 2008 at 4:45 am
SPUDGUN! Wish I could have cited all that myself! With you 1000000% - even though I’m feeble-minded and I know not of any of the machinations of the media and government of the World!
Thanks ever so much for the reminder of Fairy- Blairy’s DA notice!
I wish everybody would believe that we are up against something huge here ……..
I will only be convinced that the Clan had fuck all to do with anything about anything to do with this case when I see them live on Oprah ……. My arse!
July 22nd, 2008 at 4:32 am
Spudgun
That’s an excellent letter to the editor. I applaud you.
July 22nd, 2008 at 3:54 am
According to the Portuguese - English dictionary, there is no Portugal equivalent for the English word “evidence”. I vaguely recall seeing the Portuguese word for indications used throughout this case when referring to evidence (indications) collected by the Portuguese detectives.
There is a Portuguese word for proof, this is the word used by the Portuguese today.
I googled “Madeleine McCann Portugal” today and quite a few articles came up, all of them published by British papers which had mistranslated “proof” into “evidence”.
Not sure this is a conspiracy, could be that ole lazy bum thing, aka Copy & Paste.
Besides sobriety, are there any real requirements for using the dictionary anymore???
July 22nd, 2008 at 3:25 am
Thanks, Spud.
God bless you, too.
July 22nd, 2008 at 3:04 am
Dear Mr. Editor………
I’m quite sure that you are very busy, organising your hacks and other staff, clearing away space on the front pages of your newspapers to make way for tomorrows joyous headlines, not to mention the inevitable ‘’pull out and keep’’ 10 page insert guide, explaining the tragic chain of events that have had to be endured by Saint Gerry & Kate of Rothwell.
“Bungling/Boozy/Inept/ Sardine Munching Porto Plods finally admit defeat!!”, “The agony goes on for our Kate & Gerry” and “Vindicated at last!!”,
Just some, I am CERTAIN, of the headlines that we will all be reading about in the next couple of days. Readers will then be subjected to innumerable column inches over the coming weeks, with poignant articles from Richard Madely, Amanda Pearson, Carol Malone et al, explaining how they had all ‘been there’ for our illustrious golden couple, supporting them in their hour of need, joining forces to combat and admonish those ‘vile evil whisperings’ that were emanating along the corridors of certain internet forums and blogs.
No doubt, celebs’ agents are already in negotiation with tabloid editors, all lining up to prepare their clients to express their solidarity by way of ‘exclusive interviews’; “as a parent myself, I can’t imagine what hell they have had to go through………by the way, my new book, which is out this Monday……………………….”
Who knows?. Almost certainly an OBE or two will be in the pipeline, especially if the McCanns are allowed to take credit for the European ‘AMBER ALERT’.
Clarence Mitchell will almost certainly be given greater impetus, either directly or otherwise, to organise the Government’s Media Monitoring Unit, to clamp down and to CLOSE down those websites and bloggers that influence sufficient numbers of people to be potentially detrimental to New Labours diktats, (as he did the MIRROR Forum).
Tony ‘Glenda’ Parsons, will undoubtedly have accrued sufficient soundbites to keep his Mirror column going for the next 2 years.
But, Mr. Editor, just before you fall asleep at night in your bed, having finished the proof reading to your simpering, sycophantic, subservient homage to Clarence Mitchell’s release, please give a little thought to the following:-
Irrespective of what the Portuguese announce on Monday, the 20th July, there are a number of serious issues and questions which, FAR from being answered, have actually never been ASKED.
It may very well please you and whoever is dictating your editorial policy to perpetually vilify and BLAME the Portuguese authorities, their police or even their subjects for every aspect of the Madeleine McCann tragedy, but that would not explain, in any way, the following:–
The suspicions surrounding the McCanns and their possible involvement in the disappearance of their daughter arose, NOT because the Policia Judiciaria were inept and clueless, but because the McCanns [apparently -dr] made inaccurate statements, from the outset - statements about their movements, the movements of their friends, about the state and condition of how they found the apartment and the shutters, statements about what they discovered and discussed.
We ‘know’ that they made inaccurate statements because what they said directly contravened and countered what the other [is thought to have - dr] stated, as well as what some of their friends [are believed to have - dr] stated. And they can’t ALL have been correct. Inaccurate statements, Lies or omissions?
Likewise, it wasn’t the ‘bungling Porto plod’ who strongly suspected or suggested that Madeleine may have died in the apartment.
It was a couple of British dogs. Specialist canines, who have a LONG and proven history and success rate in determining and locating the precise areas of residual tissue and and materials relating to cadavers. Specialist dogs who are currently proving to be both CRUCIAL and instrumental in unraveling the ongoing horrors being unearthed at Haut de la Garenne in Jersey.
Not, I am sure, that you will give much credence or space to their findings in Portugal, but HOW would you propose to explain away their behaviour in Praia da Luz, in the apartment, on Kate McCanns clothes and belongings? Having a bad day? Inconclusive? The fact that it is not wholly admissible in a Court of Law?
And what about that car boot sample? The Birmingham FSS, the acknowledged, finest Forensic science laboratory in the world? Martin Brunt is STILL on the Sky News website video, reporting a “100% DNA Match to Madeleine McCann”. Was he misinformed? Contaminated sample? Mistaken Process? Total fabrication? We may never know, especially given that the British authorities are fighting to ensure that particular aspect of this case remains secret. (Have you ever asked yourself why?, Mr. Editor, or are you simply not permitted to question Mr. Mitchells rhetoric?)
Are you also, Mr.Editor, going to lambast those bungling, inept, incapable LEICESTERSHIRE police, who were also widely reported as concurring, and in some cases even SUGGESTING, that Madeleine died in the apartment on that first night in May?
“ Licentious, lacklustre, Leicester Police loonies!” doesn’t quite have the same ring to it, does it Mr.Editor?
Friends in high places? Curious RICH associates and backers, underhand Government assistance? Prime Ministerial blessings, chats and advice?. Papal divine intervention, European and world leaders hob-nobs?. It’s all there Mr. Editor. Enough material to sell a billion Sunday journals. So why no interest?
You see, Mr. Editor; I don’t really know what happened in Praia da Luz in May of last year. I don’t know why, how or when. I wasn’t there. Neither were you. We can only listen to those that are either close to, or aligned to, the proceeding in question.
It boils down to who and what you want to believe. I am reminded of Herman Goering. He once stated, “it’s always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it’s a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy” How right he was.
I realised just how right he was when George Bush convinced the majority of his people that Saddam Hussein had a hand in 9/11, just before he embarked on the massacre of an estimated 600,000 Iraqi men, women and children, just so that Halliburtons could procure the rich oil fields; (FAT lot of good THAT did with the current oil price, but I digress.)
What I particularly hate about that atrocity, is that the British went ahead and held his hand while he did it. Only at least Blair gave the British people SOME credit. He knew we wouldn’t buy the 9/11 angle, so he made up the WMD’s story, inventing documents, dossiers and ‘intelligence’ as he went along.
“Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy”
Charles de Mendez? We would know for sure, exactly what happened to him, poor chap, were we to examine the countless surveillance video of the event. Except, for some reason, we can’t. Because the tape is apparently damaged or lost, or the cameras malfunctioned or were facing the wrong way or were broken or vandalised. Or all of the above.
And of course, when Neil Mackay sensationally reported in 2003 that “senior members” of the Labour Government were being investigated for “pedophilia and the “enjoyment” of child-sex pornography”, as part of the infamous ’Operation Ore’, Tony Blair very quickly and effectively served a DA NOTICE on the press and media, banning details of these matters being reported. A ban that still stands today. A sublime example of how a Government and its press can lie, mislead and fool its people.
“Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy”
So, you see, Mr. Editor. You will have to forgive me if I choose not to believe a single word that your paper publishes on the Madeleine Mccann case.
You will have to excuse me if I do not join in the rejoicing and celebrations when the illustrious couple are exonerated , nor contribute to their inevitable NEW fund to help them “find their daughter”.
Because, although it may be ultimately true that there is insufficient evidence to prove the culpability of the McCanns in the disappearance of their daughter, there is most definitely AMPLE and OVERWHELMING evidence that the authorities of this country do not wish for the truth to ever come out.
BUT; if there IS a god, and the leaders who presided over this debacle and cover up ever have to stand and atone before him, then rest assured that their minions:- the paltry, gutless, servile cowards who spread their lies and diktats in their respective newspapers, will have to atone also.
That’s YOU, Mr. Editor.
Perhaps you’d care to dwell on that point before you fall asleep tonight.
That, and the image of a precious, angelic and innocent little girl for whom, with your able assistance, Justice was denied
Godbless, Madeleine. Wherever you may be.
______________________________
m&a
ah mccain you’ve done it again!
-meercat
July 22nd, 2008 at 3:00 am
For the sake of diplomatic relations with a country that has one of the oldest and most defined legal system - I think that the Governments of both countries should butt out on this case.
Cronyism is making this a pot-boiler.
And it is Governmental interference without a shadow of doubt.
July 22nd, 2008 at 2:37 am
Veritablequandary …… I will pop in and have a look! Many thanks!
Rasputin …… i understand where you are coming from …… But I like a bit of spice in my miserable life. And …… my dear old Aunts used to say that there was never any smoke without fire.
However - having sat about making camp-fire after camp-fire in my youth - I did point out that sometimes there could be smoke without a fire - but it’s rare.
I reckon in my feeble mind that alot of stuff will be backed up if printed. This is why I have come to love the internet and http://WWW.
The people who do a lot of this stuff haven’t got a pot to piss in anyway and are therefore not worth sueing. lol
July 22nd, 2008 at 2:32 am
Lots of blood letting in the dark place tonight, their star poster is being exposed as a fraud and a troll, how apt. Latest news from Portugal here.
http://tinyurl.com/5kudcq
July 22nd, 2008 at 2:28 am
Jolie! That’s it!
People pay thousands to go and see somebody to ‘learn’ how to do this. It has a ’scientific’ background - but remember that the brain isn’t interested in science - it just wants to be happy and survive. I just know that this will help. X
July 22nd, 2008 at 2:26 am
Good night, everyone. Hubby is on his way home and I’m still on Anorak. I feel like a recovered alcoholic who has ‘fallen off the wagon’ today.
I’m going to try to stay away again until another major event in the case occurs.
Good luck with that, right?
July 22nd, 2008 at 2:23 am
Night all. And - no matter what - remember ‘woof woof’, ‘clunk/whoosh’ and the refusal to answer the Pjs questions!
July 22nd, 2008 at 2:19 am
Coco,
I hope you were kidding about that rope! It’s been an easier day for me than for many folks on here and elsewhere who were still so deeply engaged in the case on a daily basis. But I’m still deeply disappointed.
Thanks for the info. on the EFT video. I watched it and the technique is so simple, it will be easy to give it a try. This is the one I watched:
Emotional Freedom Techniques
http://youtube.com/watch?v=aQp0kA5a5OI
July 22nd, 2008 at 2:15 am
Let me put it this way Coco, there is not a lot in it that we haven’t already heard before , spiced up with a few serious libels, anyone who publishes it must have lots of money they would like to be relieved of.