Is it just me....

[george]

...or is there a helluva amount of airtime being given to the Madeleine McCann case?


Its just there seems to be 100's of kids go missing every year... and hardly whisper... ?


Obviously I'm sympathetic to the issue, before someone mentions that.

[jont]

Dangerous waters to be swimming in George... but I agree... whilst a worthy issue it has received an amazing amount of coverage over so long a period considering the amount of other people that go missing, abducted, killed on a daily basis.

[leehack]

It's a terrible shame and most people you speak to about it have a number of things they would like to say about the parents, they just don't see the right time or think it will make any difference. Most people are disgusted deep down, but they just want her to turn up and have it all sorted out asap.

[TraceyHand]

You got a deathwish this morning, G?

I think (and this is just my opinion) that it has received coverage "above and beyond" because of the combination of a few factors really.

The apparent randomness of the "abduction" (ie not family-related or suchlike)
The fact that it was a holiday resort
The initial outcry over the fact that the children were, for all intents and purposes "unattended"
The long-held belief that she is/was still alive (although this I doubt)

And I think that once the story has been going for so long, a lot of people feel a need to know about it.

I'm not going to pass opinion either way. Every time I see it come on the news I have a hard job taking myself AWAY from the issue and not imagining all the "what ifs" that come into your head about your own kids.

JMO anyway

[Dave Fisher]

George,

We live very close to Madelaine's home so we also get lots of coverage on local tv and in the local papers. With this and national tv/radio it does mean a day never goes by without this destressing episode being mentioned.

As you say 100's of other children go missing but we here very little about them.

I also remember well the Ben Needham but can not remember this case getting the same amount of press coverage.

It must be really difficult for Madelaine's parents and it does make you wonder where they find the strength and courage to go on.

[leehack]

Perfect summary bumpsy IMO. These problems gain momentum like a snowball rolling down a hill, before you know much, it is so big that it can't just dwindle off into the sunset like most stories.