Media ethics - 13 year old dad

DMC

Looks like the PCC are investigating weather or not The Sun or The People paid the parents of the 13 year old father, who made the headlines last week.

If the papers did pay for this story, its low. Really low. Public interest or not, it goes to show that the "shameless" attitude of some people to just make a few quid. Sick.

PCC investigates alleged payment to Alfie Patten parents

Stephen Brook
guardian.co.uk, Monday 16 February 2009 17.57 GMT

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/feb/16/pcc-alfie-patten-father-sun-people

The press watchdog today launched an investigation into allegations that the Sun and the People paid for the story of Alfie Patten, the boy who reportedly became a father aged 13.

In its investigation, the Press Complaints Commission will seek to determine if the papers paid Patten's parents – a practice that breaches its editors' code, unless it can be shown to be in the public interest.

The PCC will make a public ruling on whether either paper has breached clause 6 (iv) of the Editors' Code of Practice. "Minors must not be paid for material involving children's welfare, nor parents or guardians for material about their children or wards, unless it is clearly in the child's interests," the clause states.

Unusually, the PCC decided to investigate of its own volition, rather than responding to a complaint about the story. If the Sun and the People can demonstrate that it was in the public interested to run the story, they will escape censure. The PCC investigation will take about three weeks.

"Our concern is about whether the children's welfare, and if there's such a public interest in this story to trump the rights of the children – all three children, the baby and Alfie and Chantelle," said the PCC director, Tim Toulmin.

"Either they have paid them or they haven't. If they have, they will have to rehearse their public interest defence," Toulmin added.

The Sun, which broke the story on Friday over three pages and ran video of the 13 year old on its website, has boasted that the story broke its record for online web traffic.

Maisie Roxanne, the baby at the centre of the story, was born at Eastbourne hospital on Monday last week to Chantelle Steadman, 15.

Patten told the Sun: "I didn't know what it would be like to be a dad. I will be good though and care for it. I thought it would be good to have a baby. I didn't think about how we would afford it. I don't really get pocket money. My dad sometimes gives me £10."

A spokesman for The Sun said: "We will be happy to fully co-operate with PCC's inquiry into this story which we absolutely believe to be in the public interest."

The People had not responded to a request for a comment by the time of publication.

Pen1987

The Sun wont care what the PCC do, they got the story.

These Ombudsmen/Commissions have no teeth - especially not in the eyes of readers of red-tops who just want the best infotainment stories. Thats their prerogative, so be it. No Sun reader will stop buying the Sun because they bought a story...

tbh

the way they are treating that girl is disgraceful. None of the subjects of this story have exactly covered themselves in glory, but to print rumors and gossip about a 15 (or whatever) year old girl is a new low, even for the sun.

DMC

Pen1987 wrote: »

The Sun wont care what the PCC do, they got the story.

These Ombudsmen/Commissions have no teeth - especially not in the eyes of readers of red-tops who just want the best infotainment stories. Thats their prerogative, so be it. No Sun reader will stop buying the Sun because they bought a story...

I would agree with that, as The Sun's defence would be, "the other media have run with it, ergo, great public interest."

fugazied

I hope the PCC gives them a large fine, really they are one of the standard bearers of unethical journalism in the UK. If they keep getting fined for the crap they put out, they will eventually be deturred.

Aidric

When did the Sun ever have ethics? It's a lowest common denominator rag.

Red Sleeping Beauty

A ban on the Sun would suit me fine. Disgusting piece of filth in my opinion.
I get a headache and become depressed even flicking through a few of the pages.

Victor

tbh wrote: »

the way they are treating that girl is disgraceful. None of the subjects of this story have exactly covered themselves in glory, but to print rumors and gossip about a 15 (or whatever) year old girl is a new low, even for the sun.

Don't worry, they'll have her on page 3 soon.