He should have gone at the time of the Share options scandal, imo. Over the years I have gained a particular antipathy to Piers Moron, mainly because of his self-righteous "justification" of publishing various salacious things 'in the public interest', when his main interest is upping his circulation. Then the pompous seriousness drive he went on after the 11-9 attacks made me want to vomit. Good riddance to bad rubbish.
PS - he is an odious little toad. I don't like him, in case you hadn't gathered...!

(Edited by Bee 15/05/2004 10:36)

What Bee said, Morgan should have been sacked long ago. The worst thing about these pictures and The Mirrors defence of them, is that they have overshadowed the very real and serious accusations that have been made against British troops, that is what we should be focussing on.

The title was originally to read 'Should Piers Morgan have been sacked?', but I felt that wasn't specific enough


In any case, here I feel it is unjustified. I think the only question that should be asked is: 'Did Piers Morgan know the pictures were fake, or could he reasonably be expected to think that they were?' I think the answer to that is no. While a lot of people were immediately suspiscious of the photos, it took specific MoD knowledge to prove that they were fake.

Editors and reporters cannot be 100% sure of everything they print, or even very much of it. Their role is in part to bring questions to light, and here that question was 'Are British soldiers abusing prisoners in Iraq?' Those questions are still being investigated, and may not have been had the photos not been published.

I'm grateful to live in a country where the newspapers examine each other's stories - familiarity with US news sources has taught me that that is more unusual than one might think. That is a valuable safe-guard in the publication of false stories, and goes a long way to making up for the inevitable uncertainty of printing any story.

I certainly don't buy the accusations of treachery or 'failure to support our troops' sort of rhetoric being flung at Morgan. Nothing is above investigation.

I really don't think this has done much to harm the army or the specific regiment in the eyes of those in the UK, and in the middle east attention in rather on the American misdemeanours.

Agreed with what Demona says...
...however, I think Moron went a step or two too far in the defending the photos and not apologising when it became really obvious (with the dossier that was produced yesterday) that these photos really were faked. If he'd said sorry yesterday, he'd probably still be in the job.

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by Bee
...however, I think Moron went a step or two too far in the defending the photos and not apologising when it became really obvious (with the dossier that was produced yesterday) that these photos really were faked.

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Agreed, he did act like a *word not allowed* about it

I feel that Morgan dug his own grave by printing the photos. The story that he had was big enough without photos and from what I've read/heard the photos were not originally offered to the paper when they were offered the story. It was more a case of "that's really interesting, now if you had photos of it that would really drive the price of your story up" and lo and behold photos appeared .

Even if Morgan had thought the photos genuine, with something as explosive as that why not take your dossier of evidence to the MOD and get them to look into it..you could then print your story of how you were championing the cause of human rights and stopping torture by Brittish squaddies with the full support of the government.

It reeks to me of Morgan attempting to gain readers with sensationalist stories. I wonder what he'll do now?

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by Milky
I wonder what he'll do now?

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Probably carry on with that dreadful programme on tv where he sucks up to celebrities that he and his feeelthy tabloid chums have printed dirt about in their papers. The man's brass neck is truly astounding, and his sycophancy makes me retch.
I can't wait to see the next issue of Private Eye!

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by Bee
Probably carry on with that dreadful programme on tv where he sucks up to celebrities that he and his feeelthy tabloid chums have printed dirt about in their papers.

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You mean the one the Mirror owns, right?

Oh, and a nice quote from the History of the Press mini-course I've just finished:

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by William Randolph Hearst (to a war photographer who refused to take photos in a country that was apparently going to war, but didn't)
"You supply the pictures, I'll supply the war"

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Not directly relevant, but just seemed pretty apt for this topic... [/ramble]

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by Bee
I can't wait to see the next issue of Private Eye!

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Just how long has he been threatening to "bury" Hislop anyway? It shall be glorious. Shame this week's Have I Got News For You just missed it, but then it gives them a whole week to warm up.

Needless to say I'm enjoying his public crucifixtion more than is clinically wise.

I dont know which is worse the fake photo's or the self rightous gloating of the other newspapers.

He's a git but he knew how to sell papers

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by Byron
(quotes)
Just how long has he been threatening to "bury" Hislop anyway? It shall be glorious. Shame this week's Have I Got News For You just missed it, but then it gives them a whole week to warm up.

Needless to say I'm enjoying his public crucifixtion more than is clinically wise.

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I realised about an hour ago that I'd missed HIGNFY?, but until you mentioned it wasn't too bothered. Wonder if it's on the net? I'd completely forgotten about the Hislop thing, it would have been glorious...

Anyway, Morgan should have gone after the Sixsmith email farrago, when the Mirror called Robin Cook a liar for saying that there waswas no email (certainly not the abrupt "Dear Jo, there is no way I will allow this department to make any substantive announcements next Friday. Princess Margaret is being buried on that day. I will absolutely not allow anything else to be" one, claimed to have been sent by Martin Sixsmith to Jo Moore). Morgan brazoned that one out when he should have gone, IMO.

That said, it's a shame that this has distracted from real issues, as Gilligan's 'false' did before. We have a government of lawyers, who pick on phrases and wordings to avoid those important issues. And Howard's a lawyer too, so that's greaat...

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by The_Host
[b]We have a government of lawyers, who pick on phrases and wordings to avoid those important issues. And Howard's a lawyer too, so that's greaat...

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To be more accurate, a government of failed lawyers. If you can't hack it as a Brief, Parliament is a time-dishonoured alternative career path. Most "barrister" MPs have never even practised.

Guess who's looking to be a barrister ...

Have I Got News For You isn't available via the net legitimately, and not that I'd know, but I don't think it is otherwise. But console yourself with the knowledge that the good stuff is going to be in this Friday's installment.

Morgan's a parasite, and he got what he deserved!

By printing those photo's he put all of the armed forces posted in Iraq in an increased level of danger, because it makes the armed forces look no better than a bunch of football holigans!

As said good riddence. Any other human being with an once of decency and concern for his fellow human beings (and countrymen!!) would have investigated those pictures very thoroughly as well as handing them to the proper authorities BEFORE he printed a word of that story.

Hope he enjoys the dole cue!

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by thelostsailor
... it makes the armed forces look no better than a bunch of football holigans!

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What's the difference between a soldier and a football holigan?

Football holigans like it when the opposition can fight back.

That must be self-evident. Surely no professional soldier wants a fight to be any tougher than it needs to be, especially not when his/her life will be at stake?

now al lthe mirror has to do is sack 'sports' writer oliver holt n my life will be a little bit better!