Madeleine McCann And Missing Shannon Matthews In The Media
MADDYWATCH - Anorak’s at-a-glance guide to press coverage of Madeleine McCann and Shannon Matthews
DAILY MAIL: “The shocking truth behind daycare at nurseries and crèches”
“Britain’s childcare industry is booming,” says Imogen Willcox, who has no children. But she knows. And she’s blonde.
“Every working day, more than a million parents drop off their precious little cargos at childminders and private nurseries. All of them do it firm in the belief that those they trust with their babies are highly-qualified, strictly regulated and genuine, caring people. Terrifyingly, they are wrong.”
“During an eight-month investigation for the BBC1 investigative programme Whistleblower, I uncovered a childcare culture where a new career’s criminal records and references are never checked, yet they will immediately be left alone with young, vulnerable children.”
You mean someone with a conviction for criminal damage, non-payment of their TV licence or being banned from driving can be in charge of a child!?
And – worst of all – they may be left in the care of a childless TV reporter and Daily Mail writer posing as a caring nursery school helper as she snoops on her fellow staff members – those sad sacks circling life’s plughole without a media career!?
Imogen Willcox carries secret filming equipment into nurseries. Sick? Certainly. Perverted? You decide.
“The builders left their power tools inches away from where the children were playing and no one seemed to notice. I spent that particular session on tenterhooks,” says she.
Were the tools plugged on? Were they on, the drill whirring as Imogen reads the story of Little Red Riding Hood – the girl abducted by the leering wolf-like pervert? Frozen with fear, how could she turn them off or move them out of harm’s way?!
And what has this to do with Madeleine McCann? Patience. Imogen is working up to it. She secures a job on a Mark Warner holiday complex, a Hilton resort in Dahab, Egypt.
“Three weeks after I returned from Egypt, the disappearance of Madeleine McCann from a Mark Warner resort in Praia da Luz in Portugal made headlines around the world.
“No one blamed the company or its staff for the little girl’s disappearance, but given the case, I assumed the company would toughen up its vetting of nannies.”
Did the nanny do it? But the McCanns never hired a nanny to look after their children on that fateful night. What does Miss Willcox know?
DAILY MIRROR (front page): “’Give me back my Shannon”
“Lonely” Megan Aldridge wants her friend Shannon back. “I sat on the bench at school today on my own at break time because I had no one to play with. I just want my friend back. She was the bestest friend in the world.”
Mawkish sentiment. A child appealing for another missing child to be allowed to go by whoever has taken her. The Mirror jumping on bandwagon and showing how much it cares. Look at the child. Look at her pain.
THE SUN (front page): “IT’S NOT ME – Stepdad’s denials over cruel rumours.”
The Sun would never indulge in rumour. It just lets its readers know that the rumours that Shannon’s stepdad Craig Meehan had a hand in his daughter’s vanishing are “cruel”.
“I’M NO FIEND” – Craig says: “I know people start pointing fingers at family and friends when things like this happen. But I had nothing to do with Shannon’s disappearance.”
“SHANNON CIRCLED BY 1,400 SEX BEASTS – Evil stalks a 25-mile radius of her home.”
The Sun “can reveal” that almost 1,400 registered sex offenders live in a 25-mile radius of Shannon Matthews home.
DAILY STAR: “SHANNON: BODY DOGS SNIFF OUT 500 HOME”
“The animals, trained to detect the scent of corpses, were taken into 500 houses in Dewsbury, West Yorks.”
The police move came after Shannon’s mum Karen, 32, said she no longer trusted those “really close’’ to her.
Karen believes someone she knows may be responsible for the child’s disappearance.
THE SCOTSMAN: “Police hope DNA will help Shannon hunt”
Senior officers leading the massive hunt said the profile, together with a full set of fingerprints, had been pieced together by analysing items from the girl’s bedroom and other objects, including her schoolbooks.
Detective Superintendent Andy Brennan said: “Both of these items will assist the investigation in the long term.”
DAILY EXPRESS (front page): “MISSING SHANNON – Why her swimsuit holds the vital clue”
Not “Shannon”, rather “Missing Shannon”. Not blonde. Brunette.
“Swim costume is ‘key to finding Shannon.’”
Shannon, missing Shannon, disappeared after a school swimming lesson. She was carrying the swimsuit when she left Dewsbury Leisure Centre.
Madeleine McCann and media exploitation
Posted: 5th, March 2008 | In: Madeleine McCann, Tabloids Comments (726) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
Comments
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March 7th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Totally agree Nostradamus with your first paragragh.
But the second paragraph - as in ‘that much is fact’ - is wrong. The fact that it is being presented as fact doesn’t make it ‘fact’. The fact that you believe it doesn’t make it fact. We know what is being said by the couple in the media. And that’s the only fact.
Whether it’s true or a big pile of porkies remains to be seen.
March 6th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
The tabloids continue to be allowed to make up any story they like supported by the “sources close to…said” as supporting evidence and the next day run something completely contradictory and nothing happens. No editor resigns, no journalist is forced into a grovelling apology. Those papers that continue to “make (up) the news” are allowed to pollute the whole notion of news with their stories without any chastisement is simply no longer tenable. The PCC has long ago been proven to be useless but having watched this disgusting spectacle makes it imperative that newspapers who deliberately and knowingly print misleading, unsubstantiated or simply made-up news stories should be held accountable and face serious consequences. Put simply, enough!
The McCann’s do have an agenda - to find their daughter. That much is fact. That there are so many loud-mouthed, petty, vicious rumourmongers and immature conspiracy theorists who cannot differentiate between this and a rampant tabloid smear campaign in full flight against the parents of an abducted child shouldn’t have to be their burden on top of everything that’s thrown at them.
March 6th, 2008 at 8:00 am
Administrator: All very valid points and worthy of discussion. The point being, you are free to voice these issues and talk them through so as long as the points you are making are not obscene or breaking the laws of the land (in Anorak’s case the UK). I have said this before and I should like you to consider it very carefully before you rush to hand a blue pencil to another Lord Chamberlain’s team of censors: Where secrecy is allowed to thrive, tyranny flourishes.
Have you ever lived and worked as a communicator in a tyrannical country? I have. The results were painful and bloody, so you would have to kill me since would never agree with the basic tenant of your argument. Editors are accountable; laws exist to protect those who may may at risk of exploitation, ridicule or put in harm’s way by the media.
The first to spring to an innocent’s defence is who?
Not the law?
Then who?
A free and unfettered press. -agw
———————————————————————————————
RE: our free and unfettered press.
yesterday this article was released by the press association:
http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5gJ52HMdMf6EIXNsJ5MjXeFCKkZRQ
It was then released by news outlets. 56 newspapers/newsites reported this article. (google it and count) most of which copied and pasted it.
How can we say that we have a free press when all they do is print verbatum what is handed to them? Whether they are ‘restricted’ or just ‘lazy’ I don’t know, but the end result is the same to the public, one step further than censorship IMO when the message is controlled in this way.
Not one questioned this initial release, no one even analysed it. What do journalists do?
March 6th, 2008 at 5:18 am
722 Kris
Is it going to happen or not. Who, or what source do we believe. Why has the UK
Govt got to approve questions. What in injustice to Maddie if this case if swept under the carpet. Nearly 12 months after an event is such a long time.
March 6th, 2008 at 4:09 am
Oh ferchrissakes, they’ve been saying since SEPTEMBER that they are going to reinterview the McCanns and/or the rest of the T-9 any day now just as soon as they can just as soon as the UK govt approves the questions just as soon as X or Y or Z. And the newspapers make it into news, every week. It’s NOT HAPPENING, folks, let’s stop thinking this is actually going to happen.
March 6th, 2008 at 3:07 am
713 val
Goodnight. Lock the door as another poster has said.
March 6th, 2008 at 2:45 am
Markskidd, lyn and all
Goodnight, pleasant dreams.
March 6th, 2008 at 2:42 am
707 lyn
If the case were shelved the McCanns certainly wouldn”t want that because their
Arguido status would remain, I believe for up to twenty years.
However, to charge the McCanns would be very risky because their is no body
and by now the McCann”s lawyers would have briefed their Portugese counterparts
especially on any DNA evidence submitted by PJ.
I poster earlier that if a trial were to take place in Portugal there would be three
Judges, no Jury and only evidence to be heard, presumably no witnesses in court?
March 6th, 2008 at 2:40 am
goodnight then!
sleep tight
lock the door!
March 6th, 2008 at 2:37 am
Naivity is not a quality helpful to childcare. Lets hope she’s banished from working in that sector for EVER.
No hang on, maybe she could hang posters.
(2 interpretations to that, for all you late nighters) hee hee
March 6th, 2008 at 2:33 am
703 Markskidd
Whatever happens they have to live with that for the rest of their lives. Trouble
is, they appear to feel no guilt
Gerry:” I thought it was as safe as if it was your back garden.”
Kate: ” the only thing I feel guilt for is being naive”
Can you believe it!!!!!
March 6th, 2008 at 2:33 am
Some of e “bright” minds” here say ,there are no rogatory letters
Who do they think they fool ?
B*****
March 6th, 2008 at 2:32 am
702 val
The PJ shelving Maddie’s case would be, well, unthinkable. Wouldn’t some people be pleased about that. I feel that the truth will come out about this case. A lot of posters on Anorak feel the same too. IMO, there is a cover up and from people in high places too.
So you are a night owl too.
March 6th, 2008 at 2:30 am
yeah I read that but as usual nothing concrete as usual.
March 6th, 2008 at 2:28 am
700 Markskidd
No, I can”t understand the delay, apparently the amended letters were sent on
3rd Feb. hope the Home Office are not deliberately dragging their heels. Somebody
posted a reply from the Home Office the other day confirming the rogoratory
letters had been received.
March 6th, 2008 at 2:27 am
531
Fair
This time ,i read your post !
I’m as bonker ,as you are “fair” !!
The difference is that i get, what you up to , thats why you don’t like me.
Sorry ,you never fooled me ,and this time ,i’m not kiding.
If you are so bright ,how can you waist, so much time reading my posts ?
March 6th, 2008 at 2:24 am
Myself and 7 other teachers went to Spain in 2004 with 32 schoolkids for a week and came back home with 32 kids.
The childcare experts lost 33.333333% of their charge i.e lost 1 out of 3.
We must be more’expert’ than those fannies, in my humble opinion.
March 6th, 2008 at 2:22 am
699 lyn
I”m a night owl as well………I havn”t been with Anorak from the beginning as some
here have but I think we all want a satisfactory conclusion to this case. After all
this time I would hate for the PJ to shelve the case.
March 6th, 2008 at 2:19 am
629
i-dont-believe-them Says:
March 6th, 2008 at 12:07 am
What can and cannot be written about the McCann’s on this site?
______________________
Very GOOD QUESTION !!!
March 6th, 2008 at 2:15 am
Answer the questions Kate!
To any imminent holidaymakers with little kids, don’t leave them alone in a strange country especially with the door left open, no matter how good the wine is.
Oh! and don’t listen to Gerry McCann or Clarence Mitchell when they say that it’s ok to do so. Bad advice and sends out the wrong message to new parents. Look after your kids no matter what. Don’t listen or even LOOK at pro-neglct people and have an enjoyable holiday.
Any news yet?
March 6th, 2008 at 2:14 am
697 Val
Abroad and a night owl really, as well as an early morning riser.
Yes, it is the nagging doubt that keeps everyone posting. I do think the PJ know a lot more than they will say, which is normal procedure really. They seem to have an avenue to pursue don’t they (the PJ)?
March 6th, 2008 at 2:11 am
696 Gandolf
None of us know what really happened to Madeleine, hopefully the truth will come out.
What”s your take on the Priest, the fact that he is apparently upset with the McCanns
makes me wonder at his involvement.
The Other day Hannasus put forward her theory on what she thought had happened
in PDL and asked for our input, this was mine.
1. I think Madeleine was accidentally killed either by Kate or an accident in the
apartment when her parents were in the Tapas bar.
2. Because of their status and lifestyle, plus the fact that Gerry had just been awarded
a research grant, they panicked and hid the body and claimed “abduction”
3. When the PR campaign was launched engaging world wide support, high profile
help etc, the McCanns had no alternative but to go along with it.
4. Having received Celebrity status, they began to enjoy the attention and somehow
“believe” they are innocent.
IMO of course.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:59 am
695 lyn
You didn”t say whether you live abroad or are just a night owl.
some of the theories aired are preposterous but there is the nagging doubt that the
McCanns are involved. apparently Murat” status as arguido is due to expire soon
and the PJ will have to either charge him or take off his Arguido status, we shall see.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:47 am
Val, cards on the table, I think the PJ know more than they are saying, I also think they know it was not the parents, because I think the answer is in Portugal and I think the priest knows a lot,I don’t believe anything will come of the PJ’s alleged visit or questioning, I think if there is a cover up, it’s at the Portuguese end.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
some of the crap on A3
++++++++++++
It’s become clear how many, and high levels, of “help” McCanns can call on. God knows what they’re involved in, or who with, but this isn’t just a normal pair of educated workers.
Body/parts, might have been disposed of on 2 May, or, it IS possible that she was taken alive on 2 May, then killed, and gruesome though it might sound, a dead part might have been taken back to the apartment to leave misleading scent.
Another gruesome possibility is that she was taken alive, had a finger/toe/foot cut off, which was taken back to the apartment to provide “evidence” for the dogs.
PJ MUST have been suspicious from the beginning - all and any police force would be; remember the GNR statement from the night: “a very badly told story”.
PJ were hampered by Gordon Brown’s involvement and his insistence on abduction, although I think he might well have been conned by Mcs too.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:46 am
693 val
What made me wonder about the McCanns was the sound on the TV was turned down, due to my being on a phone call and I could see the McCanns talking and it struck me that their faces and demeanor for parents whose child had just been taken, was so cold. Putting on the TV sound after the call, was quite amazing as IMO nothing gelled in what they were saying. It all seemed so matter-of-fact. Like you, I was alarmed really, when the mother was accused, and so on. They wasted no time in setting up a fund, and since then everything that has been said by them and others, simply does not add up.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:41 am
690 lyn
Presume you are in a different time zone then, where do you live?
March 6th, 2008 at 1:38 am
689 Gandolf
Yes there have been miscarriages of justice and always will be, but hopefully isolated
cases. With regard to the McCanns, my very first thought on hearing the news was, how could any responsible parents leave three children under four years of age
unattended? To me it was gross negligence and completeley unacceptable.
I was just as surprised as everyone when they were made Arguidos…….but what made me suspicious was the fact that they left Portugal in such a hurry, the first thing they
did was retain high powered lawyers, even though they have not been charged, and
lastly, how can they command such high profile support? and why did Kate refuse
to answer questions? Everything else is conjecture and I would silently apologise
to them if they are innocent.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:38 am
691 LOOK
The way I look at things, everyone is trying to work through a haystack to find the needle.
If the McCanns are found to be innocent, no apologies will be necessary as there is freedom of speech and there are so many holes in what “they” all say, that this will automatically make people think. No-one has accused Shannon’s Mum, nor picked holes in what the mother, the friend and others have said. Except for the mother’s boyfriend.
All we want to know is what happened to that child Maddie, then the matter can be put to rest and justice will be done for Maddie too.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:33 am
689
That’s what I want to know. I asked the patrons of this site recently, will they apologise if the McCanns are proven innocent. All I got was the usual barrage of insults hurled my way. That should give you some indication of their mindset.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:31 am
686 val
688 LOOK
Nah, tucked up usually in bed at midnight. Just had breakky here. Unfortunately, all the action on this site takes place around when I am sleeping, have to chuckle!
March 6th, 2008 at 1:25 am
How can anyone take a side in this case when we will never be told the full facts.