24 July 2000 – As an example of the cynical exploitation of public opinion in the interests of commercial gain, it would be hard to better the News of the World‘s publication of the names and photographs of 49 sexual offenders against juveniles – with the promise of thousands more to follow. With the alleged intention of promoting child safety, the NoW has shamelessly latched on to the public revulsion at the dreadful murder of Sarah Payne, with little or no thought about the consequences. Increased circulation is all that matters.
The universal and rightful condemnation of the News of the World by the rest of the national press could possibly be dismissed as sour grapes. But that of those who are responsible for child safety – government agencies, the police and voluntary organisations – must be taken seriously. They fear an outbreak of vigilantism – there has already been one incident involving a totally innocent person – and the driving of paedophiles underground where their activities cannot be monitored. In other words, this is an action which can benefit no one, and may harm many.
These are serious consequences, and they arise not from a genuine piece of journalistic enquiry but from a conscious editorial decision of which the NoW should be thoroughly ashamed. This is not reportage; it is rabble-rousing. The PressWise-sponsored forum on Child Exploitation and the Media in March 1997, chaired by Elizabeth Lawson QC, stated among its conclusions:
“Even the most responsible reporting of child abuse can have a dramatic and lasting effect on victims and their families, including coverage that may appear years after the event, as evidenced by the contribution from Dean Nelson, Home News Editor of The Observer. We urge newspapers, magazines and the broadcast media to bear this in mind, especially in terms of the way information is presented to the public. In particular we urge them to arrange and pay for suitable counselling to be available for victims of child abuse who disclose their experiences to them.”
Perhaps the News of the World is indeed arranging for such counselling for the victims of the 49 paedophiles whose names have been disclosed thus far. If so, we have not been told about it.
As things stand, it appears that little can be done. A careful reading of the Press Complaints Commission’s Code of Conduct seems to indicate that there has been no transgression, and the Commission’s reluctance to entertain third-party complaints is a further barrier to redress. Perhaps the Code should be strengthened yet again, but this is analagous to painting over graffiti before the next offence is committed.
PressWise is not opposed to the naming and shaming of child sex offenders at the time of their conviction. That is right and proper. But the News of the World‘s action, with its inevitable consequences of mis-identification and unjustified retribution as more and more local papers zero in on the “monsters” in their circulation area is unprincipled, opportunistic, and wrong. It is to be hoped that the newspaper will set up a compensation fund for those who are wrongly assaulted, and for the children who suffer abuse from paedophiles driven underground by these articles. That fund should contain every penny of profit derived from the paper’s increased circulation.
(Bulletin No 23)