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[Bionic]

Once again someone has made serious sexuall assault allegations that have THIS TIME been proven to be unfounded. Lord McAlpine, the accused,  was apparently never involved at all. The 'victim' has even stated that it was not him and yet the gutter press and tv all had him down as guilty, no doubt as many of the general public did because they believe the rag press and tv, and went out of their way to persecute him. He is suing them and I hope that if there is any justice at all the penalties will be in Billions of pounds against all of those who were involved. I also hope that the 'victim' is alongside those who face the punshment for their unfounded and malicious allegation against an innocen man whatever his political calling!
When will the populace of this country believe in innocent until proven guilty in a court of law? Never is the word by what is happening recently when joe public is incited by those few who have nothing better to do than utter, or to publish their bilious thoughts. Could it be that they are trying to hide their own pasts? Mine is an open book, because I too was unjustly accused by a grudge bearing single female parent only to be found wholly innocent after a 12 month life destroying, family disrupting intensive forensic invetsigation, and I have the proof of that from the boys in blue.
Perhaps anyone wishing to comment should have the same type of experience as I before they vent their spleens before any proof is given. The courts are the only justice system in this country and no-one else has the right to pre-judge the guilt of others beforehand.
Hoping for sensible comments 

[ZacVegas]

Well said Bionic

[Terbs]

Well said Bionic......

I have no time at all for these abusers......but why, why, do people on here jump in with both boots, acting as judge and jury before any police case is drawn up.
We all know the garbage the press/media come out with at times. 
When they find those responsible for any of the current events, and indeed future events, then if guilty, should should suffer the full force of the law.
Until then, I personally think our comments should only be of our distaste for such actions, and not accusations on media releases:y

[Bionic]

Well said up to now and I hope that no-one will jump in and begin the abhorrent process of trying to turn this thread into a personal crusade with not one thought about the judicial process in kangaroo court style.
That poor old man must have thought his world had collapsed on the word of a single loose lipped man that made an unproven allegation and as usual the do gooders all jumped the queue and harranged for justice to be seen to be done and him arrested! The only ones who ought to be arrested are those who were his accusers and their supporters. They all belong in the gutter and not in normal society.
Saddest thing of all is that now the BBC, a once internationally trusted scource of news, cannot ever be trusted again. Same applies to the newspapers who wrote outright lies about him and even more so to those who watched, listened to or read the defamatory articles and believed them before any court case or proof was given.
Too many are ready to jump in and destroy lives with their ill thought petty comments.
Rant over...........

[hotel21]

....... or alternatively, the original accuser has been bought off

Not saying that is the case, just keeping an objective mind on the matter.

[TheBoy]

This is why we need to let the judicial system deal with this, not the press just looking for the next sensational headline with no interest if its actually true.

If the press keep their noses out, then there is chance of a fair trial, should it go to court.


I'm secretly hoping the DG of the Beeb will now wind up programmes like Panorama and Newsnight, which have been heading down this dangerous path for far too long now. Although other organisations also need to look at themselves.

[cleggy]

The media have alot to answer for, they know no bounds when it comes to sensationalising a story and have no morals when it comes to ruining peoples lives for a story. It has gone on for too long and despite the outcry they continue to do it. Remember that poor retired professor they tore apart over the murder of a student when a another resident was responsible. Not before an eccentric innocent was castigate, his life torn apart and his reputation ruined just to sell newspapers.
Save the outrage until proven guilty, speculation is dangerous, taking the focus away from the enormity of the crimes and those really responsible

Good investigative journalism is a media triumph when it exposes real crimes and dodgy practices with thoroughly proven and verified facts. Then the cases can be handed over to the police or other regulatory bodies to investigate and take to court those exposed, the verdict is then announced based on fact and not speculation. It is not up to the press to act as Judge and Jury but to report the case.

[Rods2]

For the BBC it is all about viewing figures, for the newspapers circulation.

Never let the truth, facts and objectiveness get in the way of a good story that brings in viewers, hence Newsnight's advertising of the exposure and newspapers jumping on the bandwagon to sell print.

There is something very rotten about the media in this country these days and it seems to apply to the majority of the UK's press.

However, I don't think legislation to restrict the press freedom is the right answer and is a very dangerous route towards censorship, which our current corrupt Governments and the EU would just love. With these powers would the DT expenses exposure happened? The only answer I can see is newspapers and the press being heavily fined for badly researched, written and produced articles and broadcasts, which have been produced in bad faith, where it is proven not to be true. The use of liable laws is not the answer as that is a rich mans / womens game, where you need £0.5-£1m for solicitors fees to even begin playing that game, so is out of reach for 99% of the population.

To see how the press can maliciously destroy somebodies standing in society, you only have to look at the case of the landlord where that girl was murdered by her Dutch neighbour.

[Nickbat]

I find it totally shocking that the Newsnight team carried out no basic checking to verify the allegations made by the abused man. Had they just bothered to show him a picture of Lord McAlpine, none of this would have happened. I sense that they saw an opportunity to divert attention from the Savile affair and went for it like a bunch of amateurs.

In this, and many other areas these days, the BBC is a shadow of its former self. 

[albitz]

I have little doubt that they got almost orgasmic with excitement when they saw a double opportunity - create a diversion to take the heat off themselves over Savill and destroy the life of a well known Tory all in one hit.
That was probably the point when they lost any sense of judgement or professionalism they might have had.
The punishment should be massive and swift. Abolition of the licence fee due to arrogant and total disregard of the terms of the licence* should do nicely.

* Content should be fair,balanced objective and unbiased.

[Nickbat]

George Entwhistle resigns. Honourable thing to do, but feel a tad sorry for him. Yes, he should have had his finger on the pulse a bit more, but he'd only been in the job a very short while.

[Rods2]

Sorry, but I don't feel sorry for him after the feeble replies he gave to the Commons committee over the Savile Newsnight fiasco.

IMHO just another 9 till 5 jobsworth, there to get his nose as deep into the trough as possible and the pension pot, rather than getting his grip on the job and doing what bosses are meant to do, have conviction, vision and most of all provide leadership.

Not too much to ask of senior management is it, in return for their large salaries?

[Nickbat]

Sorry, but I don't feel sorry for him after the feeble replies he gave to the Commons committee over the Savile Newsnight fiasco.

IMHO just another 9 till 5 jobsworth, there to get his nose as deep into the trough as possible and the pension pot, rather than getting his grip on the job and doing what bosses are meant to do, have conviction, vision and most of all provide leadership.

Not too much to ask of senior management is it, in return for their large salaries?

You may be right, Rods. Didn't see him in front of the Commons Committee. Either way, the BBC is a rudderless ship heading for rocks, IMHO. 

[Bionic]

 ;)My interpretation of the BBC after the latest round of buck passing and people being thrown onto their swords....
Do you remember the Dr Kelly (investigator of the weapons of mass destruction in Iraq) incident where the BBC and the rag press, by their misleading and totally incorrect reporting led to him hanging himself? Now the very latest round of other allegations not yet proven in court but guilty as hell by their own self appointed hanging judge kangaroo court system can only lead to this interpretation of BBC....
Blind (to the truth),
Biased (against anything its reporters disagree with)
Corrupt (because that is the only explanation for all of its ills)
It should now be spilt into far smaller independent sections and all made fully and legally liable for any damage it causes to innocent people.
That is the only way it will ever regain trust. Once reporters know it is they who would pay the penalty they might just report accurately and truthfully. Until that day they are obviously paid for lies to boost circulation and viewing figures!
I can well remember the BBC when I was a child and it was trusted implicitly by everyone. Over the years it had disgraced itself time and time again by its antics. At the end of the day it is not a GOD and never should believe that it is.