Amol Rajan: A return to honest reporting is overdue

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/amol-rajan-a-return-to-honest-reporting-is-overdue-6269385.html



...........On my first foreign assignment as a reporter a few years back, I was sent to Portugal to cover the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. By the time I turned up in Praia da Luz, the only story in town was "Is Robert Murat guilty?". The friend of the McCann's had received the same treatment as Mr Jefferies. A Daily Mail double-page spread set the agenda: "Oddball of the Algarve". The story is still online, with a picture caption reading: "Suspect or scapegoat? Robert Murat claims he will not live unless Madeleine's true abductor is captured – is it all a pretence?" Well, is it?

In his cogent, scathing testimony to Leveson last week, Hugh Grant detailed the harassment not just of Tinglan Hong, the mother of his child, but also Ms Hong's elderly mother. Her ordeal, like that of Jefferies and Murat, show that the need for exclusives now routinely leads not just to blatant invention and deceit of readers, but unforgivable persecution of the innocent.

Interesting comment about Robert Murat being a friend of the McCanns but it could simply be an error on the part of the reporter.

Here's a reminder of Gerry's strange reaction when asked if he knew Robert Murat. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qNhoWz0rQw

It was a simple question - you wouldn't think it merited his usual arrogant response when faced with something awkward.

I noticed this on Twitter earlier:

THENTHEREWER4 THENTHEREWERE4
@amolrajan Who told you Robert Murat was a friend of the McCanns? Just a Lucky Guess?- I saw your gap year was at the F&C - so no prizes eh?
4 hours ago Favorite Retweet Reply

Don't know what they mean though ~ what's the F&C?

Nic wrote:I noticed this on Twitter earlier:

THENTHEREWER4 THENTHEREWERE4
@amolrajan Who told you Robert Murat was a friend of the McCanns? Just a Lucky Guess?- I saw your gap year was at the F&C - so no prizes eh?
4 hours ago Favorite Retweet Reply

Don't know what they mean though ~ what's the F&C?

Foreign and Commonwealth Office?

Correct!

http://www.battleofideas.org.uk/index.php/2011/speaker_detail/223/


Maybe Mr Rajan knows something we don't ......

However, according to her diary she wanted to kill Murat, and three of her cronies implicated him at the Portimao Confrontation ......

If he's her friend, what thoughts does she entertain about her enemies?

Not Born Yesterday wrote:Interesting comment about Robert Murat being a friend of the McCanns but it could simply be an error on the part of the reporter.

Here's a reminder of Gerry's strange reaction when asked if he knew Robert Murat. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qNhoWz0rQw

It was a simple question - you wouldn't think it merited his usual arrogant response when faced with something awkward.

One of the comments below this video of Gerry & Kate above :

"i see the dark skinned guy pops up once again,28-29 sec into video, wasnt he the same guy who was with robery murat, also wasnt watching gerry play with the kids near the climbing frame?this guy gets about."

This is the "playground man".

If you watch there is also another chap - one just standing behind the media van who then moves out of shot and then the one in the crowd with sunglasses. There everywhere!

Annabel wrote:http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/amol-rajan-a-return-to-honest-reporting-is-overdue-6269385.html



...........On my first foreign assignment as a reporter a few years back, I was sent to Portugal to cover the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. By the time I turned up in Praia da Luz, the only story in town was "Is Robert Murat guilty?". The friend of the McCann's had received the same treatment as Mr Jefferies.

Maybe that was him starting the return to 'honest' reporting!! I swear lots of newspaper articles about the mccann's recently are leaking truths on the quiet as they've had enough with it all!

Nice work to him! I'm impressed!!