1st he was convicted. Then he was tried.

Former Member

American law is based on English law. So anyone charged with a cirme is presumed innocent...that was until 24/7 news channels.

Recently, there's been a missing, married, pregnant woman in California. The news outlets like CNN and the Fox Network gave the statistics of how often it's the husband who did it. And despite all of the neighbors claiming they had a good marriage and they've know both the missing wife and grieving husband all of their lives....the networks have pretty much convicted the husband. In addition to releasing his full name and address, they've broadcast pictures of him nationwide too. I know freedom of the press is in our constitution but so is being presumed innocent.

What do you think? And is this just an American media thing?

Former Member

I guess one could draw paralells with the John Leslie thing.
Even if he never done it hes fucked - Ulrika never even said it was him.

And that woman whose husband who got murdred in the Aus outback - Falconio

I dont think it has anything to do with the introduction of 24/7 USA news.

I think if you care about something like this - as it seems you do - you should do a bit of research into news coverage before posting.

Or was this just a thinly vieled rant at the american media?

Former Member

It's puzzling and the constitution was written so long ago. Freedom of speech is a good thing. And being thought of as innocent until proven guilty is a good thing. But with all the advancements in technology, I thought it was worth discussing how the media has the power to convict someone before he or she has his or her day in court. Can you imagine having your life splashed around the world? And yet on the other hand, cause I have two hands, I know how valuable the press is in a free society.

Former Member

The media is generally bad for doing things like this, and tend to broadcast stuff with little or no evidence. The British problem with this is generally confined to the newspapers, news channels here are usually run as public services and confine their reporting to just the news. If you watch say the BBC, you'll find that although there is some, there is still very little sensationalist news reporting, and very little in the way of opinions given by the reporters and the staff.
Take the murder of Sarah Payne for example, not once did the news channels call the guy a murderer, or announce that people like him should have been castrated long ago. yes, they will ask questions but they won't make assumptions too often.
The newspapers and the jam-rags however marked him out as guilty before the courts even had chance to put him on trial.

And at the end of the day, yes the right to free speech is an important one, but the presumption of innocence is a more important law, and if this guy sues CNN and Fox for a packet I sincerely hope he wins, that's if he really is innocent.

Former Member

the name of osama bin laden comes to mind. he has already been found guilty of blowing the crap out of new york because our leaders say so.

Former Member

See also Colin Stagg, Winston Silcott, Lee Bowyer?Jonny boy Woodgate (didn't the Mirror get fined for that one?) and others...

It is regular, and as usual the print media don't seem to realise that they has some responsibility. Public interest is best served by ensuring that we do nothing to prevent these arsehole being sent down...not by printing reams of this garbage.

Former Member

Fox is the worst in the US for it. I guess it would be like a tabloid paper. Problem is...their audience grew while the networks, who don't comment on the news lost audience. I think people aren't seeing the danger.

Moraccan....Bin Laden celebrated it on tape. He also said he didn't think they would really do it. And he said they didn't expect the buildings to fall.

Former Member

Originally posted by pnjsurferpoet
Fox is the worst in the US for it. I guess it would be like a tabloid paper.

*coughs*

Murdoch.

'nuff said.

Former Member

Originally posted by morrocan roll
the name of osama bin laden comes to mind. he has already been found guilty of blowing the crap out of new york because our leaders say so.

Yeah, as pnjsurferpoet said, he admitted it.

Former Member

This husband is surviving better than most. They haven't found the body yet and hejust goes out with a gang of people every day and looks for her body. And he doesn't speak to the press...his friends and other people who know him do. He's coming off well. And Fox is coming off like a news channel that has a slogan that isn't true: fair and balanced. They're neither.

Former Member

Originally posted by Teagan


Yeah, as pnjsurferpoet said, he admitted it.

when and where did he do this?