Outrage at Dunblane

16-Mar-1996
Not the horror of the shooting on Wednesday but the crass, intrusive media coverage.

I know many people who are outraged at the media's behaviour.

This morning (Saturday) CNN are showing an item on this subject: the intensity and appropriateness of the media coverage.

BBC1 TV turned its breakfast show (06:30-09:00) over to intensive on-the-spot coverage on Thursday morning, even though the news was old, and did the same again on Friday when there was no more genuine news - they were just being ghoulish.

On the other hand Chris Evans' Radio 1 show at the same time on Thursday merely played the normal pop records, omitting the usual joking interludes but not commenting on the atrocity - a sensitive response.

The Guardian descended to tabloid journalism by having a multiple-page spread analysing side issues & personalities in great detail, instead of simply reporting the facts.

Why can't they leave these people in peace now?


Follow-up - Monday

After complaints from local people, MPs, the Queen and the Princess Royal (there yesterday), the Secretary of State for Scotland, the Scottish Police forces and the Chairman of the Press Complaints Commission, the media are at last scaling down their coverage.

BBC, ITN and Sky News are leaving before the funerals start today.

There is a good article by Jon Snow in today's Guardian about the intrusive coverage.

A month later

In spite of requests not to, the media coundn't resist showing the school Gymnasium being pulled down (to be replaced by a memorial garden). Quite why millions need to see a small building being demolished...?


Courtesy link:
Dunblane Snowdrop Petition


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