Alfie-is the media culpable?

Whilst the papers this morning are full of reaction to the Sun's lead story yesterday about the 13 year old father,it is worth reading Deborah Orr in this morning's Indy.

She suggests that the role of the media in this story should be examined.

A parent or guardian must sign a release form before children's photographs can be used by the media. Who signed off Maisie? Alfie? Chantelle? Who signed off Alfie and Chantelle? Dennis? Nicola? Penny? Steve? The very fact that this story is in the public domain is cause for concern. The concern should not be only about the wisdom of the families involved, but about a media culture that is no better at preserving the innocence of childhood than the individuals it seeks to criticise.

I wrote yesterday that the Sun had done well in publicising the story and had no doubt seen it as in the public interest.The debate was quickly stirred yesterday by both political parties and there is much reaction to it in this morning's papers.

But as Deborah points out

As for the argument that the story is in the public interest and will provoke essential debate, well, we have been having this debate for many years now, and it gets us nowhere.

and she adds that

It takes an entire society to create an environment in which children can enjoy their childhoods. A society that stands aside while journalists and parents collude in making a freak show out of children's serious troubles, inviting widespread criticism, anger and disgust, but little more, has collectively lost the moral plot.