Madeleine McCann: Robert Murat Cambridge University Debate And Maddy PR McGuinness Sues
MADDIE WATCH - Anorak’s at-a-glance guide to press coverage of Madeleine McCann, Kate McCann and Gerry McCann, featuring special guest star Robert Murat and Justine McGuinness (in comments).
REMEMBER Robert Murat, the man who won libel damages after being named as a suspect in the Madeleine McCann case?
Remember Robert Murat who was called names and monstered by the tabloid press?
Remember Robert Murat, the ex-pat who was was fingered by Lori Campbell,the Mirror hack who rightfully told the police about her suspicions; who then wrongly told the world about them, too.
She still works for the Mirror, giving the world other top news, such as:
Campbell highlighting the injustice of unproven claims. Lessons have been learnt. She was far from alone as the media picked up a Tannoy and began to whisper about Murat.
Damage was done. Fines hand out. And Murat’s life since?
Well, he will apper at a Cambridge University happening. Robet Murat will propose the motion that “tabloids do more harm than good”.
Murat has experinced the worst of the tabloid press. But he cannot be objective. The subject never can be.
The tabloid press is - when good - very good. It sets the news agenda and gets to the essence of things fast.
But the best tabloid column is Ally Ross’s TV page in the Sun, a gem amid so much dross, PR-driven pap and political spin. And in the case of Our Maddy - or was it Our Maddie - the self-serving attempt to own sadness, a mawkish markering technique witnessed with Jade Goody’s Legacy and Baby P’s grave grab, and a failed campaign.
Would we suffer if tabloids went? No. We would suffer if the mentality of tabloid journalism went, the tearing down of walls and exposing of myth, false idols and lies.
And you can get that on the internet, if you know wher to look, and what writers to follow…
Posted: 5th, March 2009 | In: Key Posts, Madeleine McCann, Media Comments (19) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
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Regular Features
March 7th, 2009 at 9:29 am
Just find the child! Someone knows something. If Madeleine turned up imagine the frazzle.
March 6th, 2009 at 7:36 am
GF
Or failing that, instant celebrity and a Fund……Thanks for the update , I heard only that she had been found guilty and not the sentencing ….
March 6th, 2009 at 3:24 am
LINK refered to above…….
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/coventry_warwickshire/7926167.stm
March 6th, 2009 at 3:15 am
12 June Says:
March 5th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
Just seen on the news a woman was found guilty for allowing her toddler to burn to death. She left her daughter alone for 3 hours while she attended Court…..
Hi June, Isn’t that what they call doing a Mccann ?
“A mother whose 22-month-old daughter died in a house fire after being left alone has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years.”
But Ms M Brown isn’t a middle class white doctor is she ?
I hope there is an appeal to the court of human rights straight away, because if it is “within the bounds of responsible parenting” for one select European couple, then it must apply to all European citizens. Alternatively they MUST all receive the same 6 year prison sentence.
March 5th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
Mr McCann has been invited to answer questions from the Culture, Media and Sport Committee on Tuesday.
Culture, Media and Sport Committee: Members
Member Constituency Party
Janet Anderson MP Rossendale and Darwen Labour
Philip Davies MP Shipley Conservative
Mr Nigel Evans MP Ribble Valley Conservative
Paul Farrelly MP Newcastle-under-Lyme Labour
Mr Mike Hall MP Weaver Vale Labour
Alan Keen MP Feltham and Heston Labour
Rosemary McKenna MP Cumbernauld and Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East Labour
Adam Price MP Carmarthen East and Dinefwr Plaid Cymru
Mr Adrian Sanders MP Torbay Liberal Democrats
Helen Southworth MP Warrington South Labour
http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/culture__media_and_sport.cfm
March 5th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
It’s all go today
Channel 4
McCann to give media evidence to MPs
Last Modified: 05 Mar 2009
Source: ITN
Gerry McCann is to give evidence to MPs next week about how the media reported on the disappearance of his daughter Madeleine, his spokesman has said.
Mr McCann has been invited to answer questions from the Culture, Media and Sport Committee on Tuesday.
He will be joined by his spokesman, Clarence Mitchell, and his lawyer Adam Tudor, a partner in libel firm Carter-Ruck.
Their evidence will form part of the committee’s inquiry into press standards, privacy and libel.
The MPs are expected to ask Mr McCann, why he and his wife Kate, chose to sue a number of British newspapers for defamation instead of going through regulatory body the Press Complaints Commission.
In March last year, Express Newspapers agreed to pay the couple £550,000 in libel damages over false allegations that they were responsible for Madeleine’s death.
On the same day the committee will also hear evidence from motorsport boss Max Mosley, who last year won £60,000 in privacy damages against the News of the World over a story claiming he took part in a “sick Nazi orgy”.
Robert Murat, the first person to be named an “arguido” or formal suspect in Madeleine’s disappearance, is taking part in a debate about the tabloid press at Cambridge University.
His arguido status was lifted last July when the Portuguese authorities shelved their investigation into the case.
Mr Mitchell will address the Oxford Union later about whether media coverage helped or hindered the search for the missing little girl.
Madeleine was nearly four when she disappeared from her family’s holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, southern Portugal, on May 3, 2007 while her parents dined with friends nearby.
Despite a massive police operation and huge publicity worldwide, she has not been found.
© Independent Television News Limited 2009. All rights reserved.
http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/uk/mccann+to+give+media+evidence+to+mps/3015257
March 5th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Bat
Maybe , oh don’t! KM shall want it all she has a missing toddler…..
March 5th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
Just seen on the news a woman was found guilty for allowing her toddler to burn to death. She left her daughter alone for 3 hours while she attended Court…..
March 5th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
Thanks, I’d forgotten about that June.
Maybe they’ll split the money.
March 5th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
Bat
Justine was meant to be Kate’s best mate…makes Judas look loyal?
March 5th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
BF well done, you’ve been Speilered
March 5th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
It is live at 730pm and the public can attend if there are available places 10 mins before it starts
March 5th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
How many more people are going to try to make money out of this?
March 5th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Madeleine McCann fund PR sues The People for libel
5 March 2009
By Sarah Limbrick
Public relations expert Justine McGuinness, who acted for Kate and Gerry McCann’s Find Madeleine Fund, is suing Mirror Group Newspapers for libel damages.
McGuinness, who spent three months working as a communications strategist for the fund, is suing over a story in The People in October 2007 which she said was defamatory.
The front page story, headed: “Woman who cost Maddie fund £51k” was also published on the paper’s website.
In her writ, McGuinness said the story suggested she had deliberately ripped off the Find Madeleine Fund by overcharging the McCanns for expenses to which she was not entitled and inflating her overtime.
She said the story claimed that, because of this, she was immediately forced to quit by the fund, although she had persuaded the McCanns to conceal this as the true reason for the end of her employment.
McGuinness, who runs Pineapple Consultants, said the story seriously injured her reputation and caused her considerable hurt, distress and embarrassment.
She said the allegations struck at the heart of her personal and professional reputation, casting serious doubt on her honesty and integrity, and were deeply offensive to her as they accused her of “cheating” a worthwhile and high profile charity.
The writ claimed that, as a result of the story, the allegations were repeated in other media, and on the internet.
McGuinness said although she had written a letter of complaint to the paper, The People had refused to apologise or provide any correction, which has increased the injury to her feelings.
Now McGuinness is seeking damages and aggravated damages for libel and an injunction banning repetition of the original allegations about her.
March 5th, 2009 at 11:23 am
Its not live, its the debating society
March 5th, 2009 at 11:17 am
what time is it over?
March 5th, 2009 at 10:11 am
Thekond
March 5th, 2009 at 10:08 am
snecdno?
March 5th, 2009 at 9:55 am
First!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!