Doorstepping ‘troll’ Brenda Leyland was justified, so let’s not bully Sky’s Martin Brunt - Roy Greenslade

http://www.standard.co.uk/business/markets/doorstepping-troll-brenda-leyland-was-justified-so-lets-not-bully-skys-martin-brunt--roy-greenslade-9781575.html










Roy Greenslade

Published: 08 October 2014

Updated: 10:28, 08 October 2014

A Sky News journalist has been subjected to an online bashing because he doorstepped a woman accused of “trolling” the parents of Madeleine McCann.

The woman, Brenda Leyland, was later found dead.

We need to pick our way carefully through the farrago of claims, counterclaims and details to make a sensible analysis of competing grievances. First, vastly experienced Sky News crime correspondent Martin Brunt did nothing wrong by knocking on Leyland’s door.

Doorstepping is part of the methodology and culture of journalism, and not just in Britain. The fêted Watergate reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward did just that, as the movie All The President’s Men portrays. It is a necessary part of the verification process that underpins all responsible journalism.

The unusual aspect in the Sky News case is that it took place during a live broadcast. Although Brunt did not reveal Leyland’s identity or the location of her home, her face was, of course,  seen on screen. That’s identification enough.

The case raises ethical problems because the broadcaster could not have known her mental and emotional state. It would surely have been better to have run an edited version rather than carry it live.

That said, the result would not have been very different unless Sky News’s editors had decided, given the time to debate the matter, that it would have been appropriate to pixellate her face.

It is not fair to say that Brunt had stalked or hounded Leyland, as his critics have claimed. He properly reported on Leyland’s vitriolic Twitter campaign against Kate and Gerry McCann. And she told him she was “entitled” to attack them.

Brunt in turn could argue that he was “entitled” to report on her activities. Disclosure is the point of journalism, and the facts of her tweeting are not in dispute. If people insult other people in a public forum, they must accept that they are open to public exposure, even if they use aliases.

What is wrong with these people.. sitting on their high horse

mccann curse will find them all

Maybe we should all go doorstep Roy Greenslade, and see how HE bloody well likes it.

This article is rubbish. Roy Greenslade makes no case why the doorstepping was justified. He even goes further to claim that the dorrstepping was done in an irresponsible manner (live, with no chance to edit or blur out Brenda's face). He also incorrectly states that Brenda claimed that she was "entitled to attack them." She only stated that she was entitled to her opinion. Did he not even bother to watch the actual footage, or did he just read about this in the other papers? Poor excuse for a journalist, supposedly backing Brunty yet backstabbing him in the same article. Pathetic, but what has come to be expected from this profession.

Comparing the Brunt Stunt fiasco with Bernstein and Woodward is crass and offensive.

Greenslade would do well to read this piece by Blacksmith.
That would soon put him bloody well straight on a few things!

Tuesday, 7 October 2014
Only Some Lives Matter

http://blacksmithbureau.blogspot.co.uk/

Adam Boulton @adamboultonSKY  ·  19m 19 minutes ago

@ph0nem0nkey @badassday @skymartinbrunt @SkyNews @KayBurley Perhaps you trolls should pause for a moment of reflection.


Another example of the scum media circling the wagons around one of their own.

Perhaps if Sky 'Love-Da-McCanns-Or-We-Send-Da-Boys-Round' News had had a moment of reflection, Brenda Leyland might still be with us today.

HYPOCRITES!

Brenda donated to the find Madeleine fund before she realised that the mccanns were lying....

Kay burley is a other vile bint



Talk about US hiding behind our keyboards....SHE and the rest off them hide behind the tv screens....they can say what they like because they have that platform...haven't any off them realised their DISPENSABLE...

Would this article be by the same Roy Greenslade the IRA sympathiser and outspoken Irish Republican and very good friend of The former vice president of sinn fein ?
Be the same Roy Greenslade who bailed out the bloke accused of murdering four soldiers in the Hyde Park bombings.
Oh yeh,that Roy Greenslade with all that murderous baggage i dont think i can be arsed to worry too much about his opinions.

Lioned wrote:Would this article be by the same Roy Greenslade the IRA sympathiser and outspoken Irish Republican and very good friend of The former vice president of sinn fein ?
Be the same Roy Greenslade who bailed out the bloke accused of murdering four soldiers in the Hyde Park bombings.
Oh yeh,that Roy Greenslade with all that murderous baggage i dont think i can be arsed to worry too much about his opinions.

yo, millwall.

Iris wrote:Maybe we should all go doorstep Roy Greenslade, and see how HE bloody well likes it.

What A Good Idea Iris Roy Greenslade, STFU