the McCanns were dining down the billing compared not brief journalists.’ In DNA PUTS PARENTS IN
‘...only yards from their to the other papers this respect The Guardian THE FRAME
apartment.’ Perhaps worthy mentioned previously. adopts a slightly more The sub that follows
of note is the fact that the The Guardian had a distanced academic claims that ‘British experts
Daily Express (September slightly different focus, (and, for Media students, insist their tests are valid.’
22nd) had a different slant: spotlighting the McCann critical) perspective on the This condemnatory front
Yesterday it was family’s deployment of journalistic practices of page juxtaposes the copy
claimed that Clarence Mitchell, a former the investigation, and with an unusual photo
statements given BBC reporter-turned-PR the collusion between
of Kate McCann smiling.
to the police by the consultant. police and press. The
The caption underneath
McCanns...differed The report, taking article also focuses on
the picture clearly states
in this article. Therefore,
from those of their up most of the page the total belief in the
‘SHOCK: Kate McCann
it could be argued that
friends. and nestling against a innocence of the McCanns
yesterday’ and leaves the
a point-of-view is being
Again, a very different quarter-page Waterstone’s displayed by donors to
reader in no doubt as to
constructed for the reader.
image and representation advertisement, begins by the Find Madeleine fund;
how to ‘read’ the meaning
Our source said ‘When
are given. reporting on a these range from many
of this image/text: Mrs
he went in [to check on
...Sunday paper individuals to Richard
McCann is smiling in the
the children] he saw
The Guardian’s
opinion poll [that Branson. In terms of an up-
face of the fact that she is
Madeleine asleep but
approach found that] only 20% of beat narrative in the article,
now a suspect. This could
the door was slightly
Many students find respondents thought the piece, by Esther Addley,
be interpreted as a carefully
ajar...He thought
The Guardian a difficult that [the McCanns] Paul Hamilos and Brendan
constructed viewpoint for
‘That’s odd’ because
newspaper to analyse. Why? were completely de Beer, ends with some
its readers; they will want to
he’d left it firmly
It’s been argued that it is, innocent and 48% gloom and prediction: ‘Mr
vilify Kate McCann and feel
closed...
arguably, less obviously believed that...[they and Mrs McCann are far
that she really is the violator
The use of intimate/
partisan than some of had]...been involved in from clear...’ It goes on to
of the crime. Interestingly,
close proximity
its rivals; indeed, The their daughter’s death. say that DNA tests, carried
the newspaper uses robust
knowledge and quotation
Guardian has been accused Although the article out by UK scientists have
is an effective way of of being rather wishy-washy gives an overview of the added further ambiguity
getting the reader more in its reporting. Some of McCann story thus far, to the claim that they are
closely involved. When its readers argue that this it is more focused on innocent. It also suggests
there is a (quote) ‘close is a good thing in that it analysing the way that the that the Portuguese were
family source’ being provides a more balanced Portuguese police have not as ‘backward’ as might
recorded like this, and using and rational approach, leaked messages to the have been claimed by other
such sympathetic tones, and does not reach for ‘British addicts’ (or the UK newspapers.
it is hard not to be drawn sensationalism. On the press) in a way that they The Daily Express on
in to the personalised same date, September normally would not do: Tuesday October 9th,
narrative. The article even 22nd, the McCann story ‘Here it is not done like makes a stand for justice. It
uses language such as how appeared on page 23, way that normally – police do announces:
english and media centre | February 2008 | MediaMagazine 39
MM23S&G13.02.08.indd 39 14/2/08 12:33:08
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