Asking the right questions
Hi there, Peter Dobbie here with what's coming up on today's World Have Your Say.
One way or another I've been in journalism since 1979. That makes me older than I'd like to admit, but more cynical than I care to consider. Having said all that, there are some questions which I wouldn't feel comfortable asking of an interviewee. The classic "how did it feel ?" is a big no-no, "tell us more" is lazy and pointless.
But there's been one journalistic question doing the round for several weeks which was not asked -- until yesterday.
Picture the scene: the parents of missing Madeleine McCann are fielding questions about their campaign to find their daughter.
You'll remember she hasn't been seen for several weeks, since she disappeared from a village in Portugal. A German reporter, at a news conference yesterday, said;
more and more people seem to be pointing the finger at you, saying the way you behave is not the way people would normally behave when their child is abducted and they seem to imply that you might have something to do with it.."
Believe me, that question has been doing the rounds -- in many newsrooms. But it's not been asked, in general, or specifically of the McCanns themselves. Until now.
Thing is, why not ? Is it a fair question ? What drives any news story ? What's been driving this news story ? And has the way the McCann's have kept there daughter's plight on the front pages, world wide, now begun to back-fire on them ?
Tell us what you think ?
Also, the G8 summit in Germany is up and running -- bringing together world leaders from the main industrial countries for a three-day meeting.
The summit is taking place amid growing tension with Russia over nuclear weapons and the US over climate change.
But, honestly, the G8, what's it for ? Does it really make a difference ? Is there a direct line between what the men and women in suits jaw-jaw about, and your life ? Has the time come for the G8 to become something else ?
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