So, The Sun is retreating with its tail between its legs.

Doodledog

Do you all believe that there is a war in Ukraine? Or that strikes have been threatened at Gatwick? Have you seen these things for yourselves? Or do you pick and choose what you believe in the media according to your prejudice?

I don’t believe in making assumptions, it’s as simple as that. Presenting your argument and including elements which are assumptions rather than fact weakens the argument.

Do you all believe that there is a war in Ukraine? Or that strikes have been threatened at Gatwick? Have you seen these things for yourselves? Or do you pick and choose what you believe in the media according to your prejudice?

Casdon

Actually Doodledog we don’t even know the young person does have addiction issues, we just know that the mother says that’s the case.

We only know what Murdoch has told us.

Actually Doodledog we don’t even know the young person does have addiction issues, we just know that the mother says that’s the case.

I find it hard to accept that The Sun, that one time promoter of teenaged topless page three girls and vilifier of innocent Hillsborourgh victims, is a credible source for a 'morality' story.

I think the speculation on this thread is far more dubious than the posts about what was in the news on the other one, to be honest. We really don't know the story behind the first accuser, and we don't know whether he has been paid to say there is no substance to the story.

What we do know is, as quoted, He is an adult, with addiction issues. and as such he is vulnerable, and it is arguable whether he could give informed consent to very much. Addicts (in general, not necessarily the young man in question) are highly unlikely to cut off a source of income that feeds their habit, and anyone used to getting tens of thousands of pounds is going to be desperate to replace that somehow.

The information we have now is a mess, and we don't know the motives of any of the players. It does sound as though there is a story behind it all though, and IMO it is far too early comment on how the truth is exposed. We are looking at a lot of vested interests - the press, the BBC, Murdoch and the police all have a lot to gain or lose, and that's without the 'fantastical' idea that this is the proverbial dead cat.

Well, it makes it sound as though he is a child - which he is not.

He is an adult, with addiction issues.

But, as this young man has been us foster care for a while, before he was an adult, it suggests there were family problems anyway.

I suppose Murdoch has done the usual - waved wads of cash at people to get "their story", regardless of the harm it could cause.

With him, it's anything to try and take the BBC down.

Not good.🙁

Iam64

Callistemon, I was shocked by that term ‘their drug addict child’. Wrong on so many levels. The daily mail takes the moral high ground again

It is just plain nasty, Iam64, an offensive term.

I did wonder, when I posted, if someone might think I meant that literally and chastise me.
As you realised, it was supposed to be sarcasm.

Callistemon, I was shocked by that term ‘their drug addict child’. Wrong on so many levels. The daily mail takes the moral high ground again

Anniebach

The young man’s parents on tv will certainly tell the world his name , that’s protecting him ?

They certainly do not appear to be considering their adult offspring’s feelings or have his best interests at heart with their decision to go public?

their drug addict child
That it an utterly charming label!!

The young man’s parents on tv will certainly tell the world his name , that’s protecting him ?

Thank you for publishing the statement Diamond. I will just add to the questions about the moral compass of Sun journalists, their written work requires improvement. There is a split infinitive in the last paragraph: they have been told..

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12298367/Parents-youngster-centre-Huw-Edwards-scandal-TalkTV-documentary-series.html


It's going to be a 3 part documentary on Talk TV, which the parents have been allegedly offered a huge sum of money for.

"The parents of the young person they claim was given £35,000 by Huw Edwards for explicit photographs have reportedly been handed a huge sum to appear on screen as part of a three-part series, it emerged today.

The couple, who along with their drug addict child have not been named, are said to have accepted an offer of tens of thousands of pounds to appear on Rupert Murdoch's TalkTV.

The Guardian has reported that an interview with the young person's mother and stepfather has already been recorded and edited for broadcast. It is not known if it has been carried out by the station's star Piers Morgan.

The parents of the young person they claim was given £35,000 by Huw Edwards for explicit photographs have reportedly been handed a huge sum to appear on screen as part of a three-part series, it emerged today.

The couple, who along with their drug addict child have not been named, are said to have accepted an offer of tens of thousands of pounds to appear on Rupert Murdoch's TalkTV."

But, there appears to be a backlash starting over all this. Edwards is in hospital, and there are privacy issues over the young man (Owen Jones did confirm, on TV, that all these allegations come from young men. Young in the sense of age - not legality.).

This will end in tears somewhere. 🙄

It’s so frightening

If that is true, it’s terrible.

I have just posted on another thread that according to David Yelland - ex-Sun editor - that Murdoch who will be overseeing this whole sordid episode, and that in fact The Sun will have zero evidence- but it matters not a jot to Murdoch as he sees the young adult and HE as collateral in his war with the BBC, which he wants gone.

He will have costed the resultant libel case into his strategy.

dragonfly46

Not sure about the Sun backing off but Talk tv have just paid the family of the youngster a vast amount of money for an interview.
Talk tv being part of the Sun (Rupert Murdoch).

By doing an interview where people are bound to recognise the parents will be revealing the young person’s identity, when they made it clear that they don’t want this to happen. That’s wrong on every level, I would imagine the estrangement will be irreconcilable after such a breach of trust. It begins to smack of Jeremy Kyle.

HousePlantQueen

This whole episode has been an unnecessary and sordid titillation. It wouldn't have been 'reported' by the Sun if the allegations had been made about a solicitor, civil servant or bus driver. Murdoch is a loathsome old man, frustrated because he cannot control broadcasting in the UK. I got rid of Sky years ago, and anyone bleating on about defunding the BBC needs to be aware of who and what is waiting in the wings to take over.

Now, has anyone seen any reports in the Murdoch owned press of Johnson not handing over his 'phone? His possible contempt of court? Osborne's email and it's sordid contents?

Well I certainly knew nothing about an email sent to various people regarding George Osborne until I read mention of it on GN. I had a quick look on Google but couldn't find a copy of the actual email; eventually found a copy of it on Mumsnet! It's quite an explosive email and wonder why none of the mainstream media sources covered the story (unless they did and I missed it!).

Not sure about the Sun backing off but Talk tv have just paid the family of the youngster a vast amount of money for an interview.
Talk tv being part of the Sun (Rupert Murdoch).

Yes and it would be really useful to listen to some of the analysis that's available about 'buying' consent. Those discussions happen about prostitution but probably not so much about only fans etc.

Wyllow3

It seems to me we are in the middle of a shake up of many big organisations as to what is appropriate and acceptable. ITV was in the spotlight for some time as to the breakfast show...stuff coming out of the CBI, police, fire service etc - we're in a time of changing attitudes and values.

wendyann23 I'd very much like to know that too (was there payment).

I think that is a very good point, Wyllow. Certain behaviours that may once have been defended as acceptable are now considered inappropriate, and this is filtering through to institutions such as you describe.

What would once have been considered 'a bit naughty' or to somehow go with the territory of being a celebrity has, since 'Me Too' and similar movements, become unacceptable. I'm sure we have all seen that shift ourselves on a more prosaic level - at my first workplace (a civil service department) some quite senior men had 'nude' calendars on the walls, and nobody thought anything of it, or at least wouldn't have thought of making a complaint. Sexist remarks were commonplace, and unremarkable. 'Jokes' about secretaries sitting on the boss' knee were pretty standard, and so on. It's not in the same league as some of today's scandals, but if any of that went on now, women would (rightly, IMO) complain, and would be taken seriously, which we would not have been in the 70s or before.

I'm not sure that (outside of obvious boundaries) it is helpful to rake over the past and punish people for doing what was then ok, but I do think that enforcing changes in behaviour now in line with what is acceptable in today's world is absolutely necessary. Whereas people are, on the whole, more accepting of the fact that everyone is entitled to a private sex life and are more tolerant of differences in sexuality and 'kinks', they are far less accepting of exploitation and coercion. Instead of teaching women and girls not to be alone with certain men, the message now is that people have to keep their hands to themselves or face the consequences (and that applies to people of both sexes). I'm ok with that.

Re the payment to the parents in the HE case, AFAIK what was published was that they did not ask for money, but that is not quite the same as they're not being paid.

It certainly has retreated in South Wales 🌞 ⛅️

I thought this thread was going to be about the weather because it’s raining 😂😂😂

It seems to me we are in the middle of a shake up of many big organisations as to what is appropriate and acceptable. ITV was in the spotlight for some time as to the breakfast show...stuff coming out of the CBI, police, fire service etc - we're in a time of changing attitudes and values.

wendyann23 I'd very much like to know that too (was there payment).