Madeleine McCann: The Single Thread Thread
FROM the Anorak Forums: For me, the best comment on the McCann TV Look at Us In Our Grief Special from the media perspective is today’s Guardian treatment of it.
If you go to Guardian.co.uk and search on the name McCann you will find the whole two-hour-months-in-the-preparation, presentation and breathy puffing of the docusqueaky episode is reduced to the comment “Did we need a two-hour documentary to say Gerry and Kate McCann were:
1: angry?
2 sad? ”
The whole sorry exercise has been reduced to a what was on tv last night commentary and not about the sanitised McCann angst but about the ITV News At Ten coverage of it:
The inner twist is that Sam Wollaston is not sympathising with the McCann situation or plight but with the sorry and truly disgraceful fact that the ITV newsroom standards have fallen so low the Sir Trevor MacDonald and the team felt the Lead item of News at Ten was the McCann documentary… a dated non-news story and not one news worthy item in it other than the angle we have already covered taken by yesterday’s Herald on the “if only we have a buggy” comment.
Do you ever log into Anorak and feel a sensation which can only be described as akin to a bug being skewered by a hat pin for some entomologist’s collection?
I do. I am fed–up , sick to death of it and dislike the McCann spin and story so much I can actually express it here. I do not know the full story and I now realise I never will. There will be no big breaks. The parents, friends, police and above all else the media have failed Madeleine McCann. She is not in an a Euro cellar, She is just Not.
It is not news: it is a gross reflection of the the mass hysteria still generated by the various Diana Myths. Paul touched on this the other day when he said we should be re-examining Grace Kelly’s death.
The Maddy McCann story is about as relevant as the youfful King Tut’s murder. A who dunnit it which will forever be in doubt.
They either conspired in their child’s death (at least the cover-up) along with a few friends
or she was kidnapped.
I had a call last evening from a friend who lives in the Algarve and the in joke amongst the cynical ex-pats who still live there ( and KNOW the McCanns did it) is they have all, as a ABC economic group been invited to a launch party for a new car with a lead lined spare wheel well.
The manufacturers are proud of their new meat waggon and people carrier
The Renault McCann
Time we dropped these threads and got on with the news stories. We should be commentating of the futility of it all rather than genuflecting to the dross posters we are dealing with on a second by second basis.
Confine the story to news breaks and the Hello pages…because it ain’t news. It’s about wriggling on the white card as the various pins are stuck in.
Does anyone in our group think they are Guilty? Innocent? Or do we even sodding care any more?
I am today going to hospital to have more than a few pins and needles stuck in me.
PS : Did anyone clock the production company? It wasn’t Kirsty Wark’s mob was it? That would be worth a line of two. See? There we go again…
AGW
May 1st, 2008 at 10:10 pm
1st!!!!!!!!!
May 1st, 2008 at 10:13 pm
2nd
May 1st, 2008 at 10:13 pm
Damn you!
May 1st, 2008 at 10:17 pm
he he
May 1st, 2008 at 10:20 pm
imo am off to bed goodnight
May 1st, 2008 at 10:22 pm
hi all, does anybody know how i get to listen to the john gaunt show that was aired this morning?
May 1st, 2008 at 11:03 pm
Quite honestly, what I feel about the whole thing is: I have always believed that Madeleine is dead and that her death was caused by one or both parents accidentally. Or she may have had an accident while alone and they returned to find her dead. I may, of course, be wrong. She may have been abducted from her bed by a stranger or she may have wandered out and been abducted by an opportunistic paedophile. But, if the parents were not involved in either her death or the disappearance of her body, what I will never understand is what the hell they think they have been playing at for the last year.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:04 pm
Anorak have you had a dwink or 2? Do check your spellings. I’ts ok for us but you are a credible editor and journalist?
Echo I too want to know ehre can I see Jon Gaunt
M and a
Ignore it Katy, he’s been mispelling for years
May 1st, 2008 at 11:05 pm
Chloe - if they were NOT involved - spot on
May 1st, 2008 at 11:06 pm
Anyone there?
May 1st, 2008 at 11:06 pm
Does agw say? ‘I am fed–up , sick to death of it and dislike the McCann spin and story so much I can actually express it here. I do not know the full story and I now realise I never will. ‘
yes, there is no escape from the mcSpin and domination of the media (unless you buy the Express of course) news agenda.
It is gross emotional manipulation of the public’s emotions and the best approach might seem to detach from it and let justice take its course (if only ) but there do seem to be important issues at stake - the non-news stories, misuse of the media, the lack of investigative journalism, the xenophobia, the hints of subjudicy, free speech, the supportive political exploitative bandwagon, copycat celebrity wannabes, parenting standards, children’s freedoms, and of course justice for Madeleine. This case leads to a depressing exposure -that ’something is wrong in the state of…’
Hope your hospital treatment goes well (and not in that one)
May 1st, 2008 at 11:06 pm
AGW
You should know by now that no one reads the bit at the top on an MM thread. Shame.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:08 pm
By the way does anyone think it strange they are still holding hands and stroking fingers…. my other half and I jsut took strips off each other over a minor matter of who does or doesn’t care about our teenage daughters. I think in the case of an abduction in these circumstances most relationships would not survive? Loke when kids are very ill the marriage ususally suffers.
United in something.
By the way didn’t she look well today.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Dunno, don’t care, we are all pissed off to the back teeth with it
May 1st, 2008 at 11:18 pm
Don’t tell them the name of the hospital, AGW. I fear that certain new members on 3A’s might be arranging a coach party!
Hope all goes well.
M and A
C’mon Patch, you’ve seen his girls…
May 1st, 2008 at 11:19 pm
Well said June!
The most succinct summing up of the whole damn saga that I’ve read.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:20 pm
11
AgendaWide
Well said.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:20 pm
14 JuneJohnson
Do you think agw will drop the Madeleine McCann case threads? Perhaps best since DuncanR suggested how the threads may be used and maybe it is feeding obsession about the case? I’m not saying good idea though.
M and A
It will be a joint decision - its more a of gossip column now than a news item. The main problem for us is the libel issues and the fights, and it is very high maintenance. Also it leaves all of us with very little time for Anorak itself
May 1st, 2008 at 11:21 pm
15 Patch, maybe they will come to me instead after the mix up over our identities!
May 1st, 2008 at 11:24 pm
14
JuneJohnson Says:
May 1st, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Dunno, don’t care, we are all pissed off to the back teeth with it
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Would that be with all your teeth, or just the back teeth?
If there were awards for M&As whose service has gone above and beyond the call of duty, then all at Anorak would, at this very moment, be polishing their acceptance speeches…
Thanks for that Chenier
The front ones are beginning to feel the wash
May 1st, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Chenier Just looking Mic
Do you think anorak should keep the McCann threads ?
May 1st, 2008 at 11:37 pm
I do wish AGW well and a full recovery.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:38 pm
21
AgendaWide Says:
May 1st, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Chenier Just looking Mic
Do you think anorak should keep the McCann threads ?
——————————————————–
I think that it is entirely up to Anorak.
I’m a guest here; when I am under someone else’s roof I wouldn’t dream of lecturing my host on my requirements…
May 1st, 2008 at 11:42 pm
You’re right, Chenier: we’re guests here and do not demand.
However, I cannot agree to the “non-news”… E.g. I think it’s the first time in history that a couple of “arguidos” have opened a telephone line, asking witnesses to tell them what they told the police …
May 1st, 2008 at 11:43 pm
23 Chenier
I meant more - what sort of value do you think these threads with debate and discussion have, but don’t answer if you prefer not. I’m probably off to sleep now so night night.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:44 pm
Don’t go!
May 1st, 2008 at 11:45 pm
Don’t leave me now. now now………
May 1st, 2008 at 11:46 pm
When the sun shines….
May 1st, 2008 at 11:46 pm
sit along and laugh awhile…
May 1st, 2008 at 11:47 pm
Song by Hot house flowers, in memory of their mate who fell out of a car and died… mat of my sisters (she was a backing vocal before they got famous) (which makes me nearly famous right?)