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It’s probably an uncomfortable point to make, however at Obsolete, Septicisle doesn’t shy away he compares the press coverage the disappearance of Shannon Matthews has received and the press coverage the disappearance of Madeleine McCann has and is still receiving.
After one week Shannon Matthews’ case has all but disappeared form the front pages of the press. Why is that? Septicisle speculates.
Could it possibly be because this is a distinctly working-class family, where the father and mother have split up, and where the mother is, not to put too fine a point on it, not as aesthetically sympathetic as Kate McCann was/is? Or that this has happened up in the sunny climate of Dewsbury, a classic Yorkshire town, which simply can’t compare to the attractions of Praia da Luz for the travelling hacks?
Thursdays Express when Shannon Matthews had been missing two days, rather sums it up when Madeleine McCann’s supposed sighting in France makes the front page.
I have a few ideas but not along the lines of comparative abductions i suspect that the massive press block may be the attempt by someone or many to ensure that total silence allows the child to get to grips with the enormity of the search perhaps the child is so frightened she will be punished for such rashness Another theory could be a potential hostage situation where the hostage taker has been supplied by information on the police movements by the proximity of the press and tv In this press silence he or she is deprived of any source of extraneous information which is providing just enough to stay ahead of the posse
to suggest a pecking order for abductions would be the calous afterthought on other issues relating to death and disaster heirarchy I uspect we all may have our own interests which is after all our right but the future for humanity reaches a new low when at the switch of a button we decipher our level of interest based on “social” bench marks
peter J Finn